A bisexual British woman has been jailed for grooming a 15-year-old schoolgirl for sex, in what is believed to be the country's first case of its kind.
Unemployed Sarah Wilson met the girl, who was "vulnerable" and suffered from low self esteem, on an internet chat room in July last year, the Daily Mail newspaper reports.
The 21-year-old woman, who has been jailed for 20 months after confessing that she wanted a sexual relationship with the teenager, bombarded the girl with a "multitude" of sexually graphic messages and phone calls, prosecutor Peter Zinner told London's Southwark Crown Court.
Wilson later involved her 39-year-old boyfriend Peter Richardson in the grooming although he was cleared of any wrongdoing because of a lack of evidence.
After six months, Wilson convinced the girl to skip school and catch a train to meet her and Mr Richardson in London on January 21 this year.
The girl's parents reported her missing soon after and police officers took the teenager into protective custody after spotting her at Kings Cross station.
Wilson sent a text message to the teenager, saying she had "better not be wasting [their] time".
The message was intercepted by police who "kept the ball rolling" by persuading Wilson and her boyfriend to go to the station where they were arrested, Mr Zinner said.
Wilson told police she knew the teenager was underage but initially denied wanting to have a sexual relationship with her.
She later admitted wanting sex with the teen after police found children's underwear, porn DVDs and sex toys at her apartment.
Wilson pleaded guilty to one count of travelling to meet a child following sexual grooming.
The victim told police during an interview that she knew what Wilson had done was wrong but that she still felt some affection for her and did not want her to get in trouble.
"There was an element of planning and sophistication to the grooming of this child, who was lonely and vulnerable," Mr Zinner said.
"Wilson held out a promise of a loving relationship, which was clearly something missing from this young girl's life.
"This conduct of yours was utterly shameful.
"This offence was planned, sophisticated and you showed determination over a period of time in grooming this young girl."
Wilson has been banned from ever working with children and will be registered as a sex offender for 10 years.
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