Parents of vulnerable girl feel '˜let down' by justice system after sex pest walks free

The parents of a vulnerable 13-year-old girl who was groomed online by a sex pest say they feel '˜let down' by the justice system after he walked free.
Silhouette of family upset by grooming sentence.Silhouette of family upset by grooming sentence.
Silhouette of family upset by grooming sentence.

Facebook pervert, Nathan Patrick Bray, aged 25, of St Augustine’s Crescent, Chesterfield, requested an obscene video of his victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, as well as sending her a picture of a soiled condom and asking to meet up for sex.

Robert Buckland QC, the Solicitor-General, argued Bray should have been locked up for around three-and-a-half years for his sickening crimes.

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But top judges at London’s Court of Appeal refused to interfere with the community sentence which required him to take part in a child sexual offenders’ programme for 110 days.

The girl’s dad, who cannot be named, said: “We feel let down. frustrated and shocked.

“I genuinely felt that we would get some kind of justice to get it overturned. The whole justice system stinks.

“I feel like I have let down my daughter for not protecting her like a dad should.”

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Unemployed Bray contacted the teenage virgin on Facebook and she soon told him she was just 13, Lady Justice Rafferty told the court.

Bray, who according to a psychiatrist’s report, has the ‘emotional maturity of a child’, asked for a picture of the schoolgirl’s private parts and sent her one of his own. He also asked for sexual footage of her and asked to meet up with her for sex.

He admitted five offences at Derby Crown Court on January 8.

The parents have now contacted Chesterfield MP Toby Perkins to seek advice.

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The girl’s mum, who cannot be named, said: “We are strong enough to get through this and not let it affect us.

“He (Bray) was very careful in covering his tracks.

Parents need to be warned and made aware.”

Bray’s crimes came to light in 2014 when Facebook alerted the police. Officers then stepped in before Bray had a chance to meet up with the girl.

The crown court judge was said to have been ‘heavily swayed’ by the psychiatric’s report on Bray and followed its recommendation for a community order.

The young girl was said to be vulnerable due to her ‘young age’ and being ‘mentally disabled’.

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A written statement from the 13-year-old to the Derbyshire Times described Bray as a ‘brave man’ for admitting his offences.

But she wrote: “Nathan deserves a harsher sentence.

“It’s not really affecting me now, I’ve moved on in life. So what’s the point in keeping in the past? Because it will only bring down your future.”