Shaun Davies, 28, was locked up for seven and a half years after he admitted charges of child rape and child abduction.

Gloucester Crown Court heard on Tuesday (5 September) how a relationship began through conversations on Xbox when Davies was 26 and the victim was 14.

He soon turned the conversation sexual, telling the girl how she should lose her virginity.

Davies, of Brockworth near Gloucester, alienated and groomed her by telling the child that he loved her and that no-one else did, and encouraged her to run away with him.

In July 2021 he drove to the victim's home and took her away without her parent's consent, the court heard.

While being driven away the girl was receiving phone calls from her concerned father saying that he would contact police, and Davies ignored them. He later disposed of the phone.

Davies drove north and found isolated spots where the court was told sexual acts took place. He was then forceful and raped the child in his car.

The court was told that the teen, who asked to be labelled as a survivor and not a victim, made it clear that she was not consenting.

Prosecutor Ian Fenny said that Davies ignored her and raped her. He then told her to tell no-one else about what had happened.

Police were informed that the child was missing and a marker was put on Davies' car in a bid to locate them. The vehicle was then stopped by officers from Greater Manchester Police in Stockport and Davies was arrested and the girl was taken home.

The case was investigated by Gloucestershire Constabulary's Child Abuse Investigation Team and Davies was charged.

In a victim personal statement, which was read in court, the girl said: "I will never forget the night he took me. I remember every single detail of that night – from his voice and how he spoke to me, to his hand on my lap the whole drive, to his smell and when he stopped the car.

"I don't know why he did everything he did to me when I said no. For some reason I couldn't move and get away from him. What he did to me hurt me."

In her statement she also said how she thought it was selfish that Davies had waited two years to admit what he had done.

Davies' defence barrister said that Davies had shown remorse and that he was also sorry for what he had put the victim's family through.

He added that Davies had developed a relationship with the child and that she went willingly from her home.

Judge Ian Lawrie KC disagreed that Davies had shown remorse. He said that Davies knew her age and took advantage of the significant age gap without exhibiting any care or concern for the considerable distress also caused to her parents.

Davies was sentenced to seven and a half years for rape of a child and 27 months for abduction, to run concurrently.

He must serve at least two thirds of his sentence before being released on licence. Judge Lawrie KC also gave Davies a lifelong Sexual Harm Prevention Order and he will be placed on the Sex Offenders' Register for life.

During the hearing Judge Lawrie KC spoke directly to the victim's father who was in court, and asked him to pass on a message to his daughter that her courage is to be applauded.

Following the sentencing, DC Martin Hayward said: "Davies groomed a child, took her from her home and then raped her. His actions are abhorrent and the lasting impact this has had on the victim is clear from the powerful statement which was read out in court.

"I would like to commend her for how brave and courageous she has been, but also how patient she has been throughout this whole process. It has taken over two years to get to this outcome and I thank her and her family for working with us throughout."

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