Rugby man branded a danger to teenage girls after taking advantage of a vulnerable 14-year-old

A Rugby man has been branded a danger to teenage girls after taking advantage of a vulnerable 14-year-old.

Grzeorz Herman had eventually pleaded guilty at Warwick Crown Court to two charges of sexual activity with a child, having originally denied the charges.

Herman (26) from Rugby, but of no fixed address, was handed an extended sentence of six years and three months, with an additional two years on licence.

He will have to serve at least four years and two months of the prison term, but will only be released before serving the full period if the Parole Board considers it safe to do so.

Herman will then be on licence, and subject to being recalled to prison, for the rest of the sentence and for a further two years – and will have to register as a sex offender for life.

Prosecutor Michael Shaw said Herman met the 14-year-old girl, ‘who was vulnerable for a variety of reasons,’ in a park in Rugby in the summer of 2017.

“She was invited back to an address with the defendant, and they both took drugs and alcohol, and an intimate relationship began.”

But the relationship ended as a result of the girl finding out Herman was also in relationships with other people, and after she told someone, the police were informed.

When he was arrested Herman denied the offences, but was interviewed again after a picture was found on the girl’s phone of the two of them together in bed.

Shown the picture, Herman’s reaction was to comment that he was ‘f***ed’ – but he then declined to answer any further questions and pleaded not guilty when he first appeared in court.

It was only at a pre-trial hearing that he finally changed his pleas on the two charges to guilty – and other charges including supplying drugs were left to lie on the file.

But Mr Shaw pointed out: “It is common ground between the prosecution and defence that drugs were involved.”

Daren Samat, defending, said: “He truly regrets his actions, not just because he’s going to receive a sentence, but because he realises the impact it has had.”

Mr Samat said that Herman, who had previous convictions for violence, had first been interviewed in July 2018 and again later that year while he was serving a custodial sentence.

“He was sentenced in October 2018 for offences in relation to assault charges, for which he received three years.

“Had he been charged with these offences in 2018 or 19, he would already have been serving the sentence Your Honour will pass today.

“There was an inordinate delay in this case. If he had been charged earlier, the sentence would be running alongside the sentence he was serving.

“That did not happen. He was due for release on the 15th of March 2020, and on the 13th, two days before his release, he was charged with these offences and remanded in custody.”

Of the offences, Mr Samat said: “There was no coercion or cajoling. Drugs were available, which is an aggravating feature, but they were not used for the purpose of committing an offence. He was not plying her with drink or drugs.”

Jailing Herman, Recorder Charles Foster told him: “I have to deal with you for two counts of sexual activity with a child.

“She was a vulnerable person. You exploited that vulnerability, and you seduced her. You had unprotected sex with her, you abused her violently, you coerced her, you controlled her.

“You plainly knew her age. She was still at school, as you knew, and drugs and alcohol were used.

“You have a pattern of violent behaviour, particularly towards females you have a relationship with, and you have a particular interest in pre-pubescent females.

“I have no doubt you pose a significant risk of committing further specified offences and of causing serious physical or psychological harm.”