A Brighton man has been jailed after he separately groomed two girls – one of them nine years old – telling them to take off their clothes so that he could take indecent photographs.
Neil Schooley, 55, of Woburn Place, Brighton, was a trusted babysitter who had looked after each girl a number of times at their respective homes.
Schooley denied intentionally causing or inciting a nine-year-old girl and another who was 11 or 12 to engage in sexual activity and taking indecent photographs.
A jury was told that he abused the girls between five and seven years ago at two different addresses in Brighton, exposing himself to one of the children.
He was found guilty by the jury after a five-day trial at Hove Crown Court in July.
On Thursday (31 August) Chris Harper, prosecuting, said that Schooley had been convicted of five offences in total.
On one occasion he exposed himself to the nine-year-old girl while babysitting her and told her to expose herself.
Mr Harper said: “She refused and was sent to her room for having been naughty. She was discouraged from disclosing this by being told that no one would believe her.”
Mr Harper said: “The impact of these offences is felt not just by the children but also by their families.”
One of the children became so anxious and depressed that she stopped going to school. She wanted to stay in bed all day and wouldn’t eat or drink and became suicidal.
The other said: “I’m glad that something is being done and he’s not roaming around free after what he did.”
Mr Harper, standing in for his colleague David Smith, praised the fortitude shown by both girls.
Brian Shaw, defending, said that Schooley had no previous convictions, and said: “It is a shame and it’s something frankly that he has brought on himself.”
Judge Jeremy Gold, the trial judge, sentenced Schooley at Hove Crown Court, telling him: “You were convicted by a jury on clear and compelling evidence.
“The victim impact statements clearly set out the harm you caused (including) severe psychological harm.
“You suffer from bipolar condition and anxiety and receive medication for that.
“You contested this case and I am unable to reduce the sentence to reflect remorse or contrition.”
Judge Gold said that Schooley took advantage of the girls for sexual gratification, adding: “Perhaps the best that can be said is that none of the offences involved touching.”
There were gasps and sibbing in the public gallery as the judge jailed Schooley for eight years.
Schooley was ordered to register as a sex offender for life and made the subject of a restraining order and a sexual harm prevention order.
8 years??? Is that it!, this should hold the same sentence as a murderer, he has practically murdered these poor young girls minds, which they will have to live with for the rest of their lives.
Served jury for this 8 years isnt long enough at all the system has failed again