A waiter at a Chinese restaurant 'persuaded' a 15-year-old girl to have sex with him after taking her back to his flat.
Christopher Chan, 34, took a 15-year-old girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, back to his flat in Southport and had what the court was told was 'consensual sexual intercourse' with her. On two of the occasions Chan had given the 15-year-old alcohol, but a judge found that was to 'develop their relationship' rather than to facilitate the offences.
Liverpool Crown Court heard on Friday, April 22, that Chan committed the offences while “on the bounce” after the end of a serious relationship. In an impact statement read to the court, the girl told how he persuaded her to have sex with him.
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She said his behaviour had affected her ability to concentrate at school and she went from having very good grades to poor ones which spoilt her chances of attending Cambridge University. She began self-harming and took an overdose, and has since been diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder and is on medication.
The girl said: "I now have trust issues with men, worrying they want to take advantage of me for their own needs."
Chan, who worked at Lings On Kings in King Street, Southport, had been found guilty of four offences of engaging in sexual activity with a child involving penetration.
Jailing him for three years Judge David Aubrey, QC, pointed out that the defendant had been twice her age and she had told him that she was under the age of consent.
He said: "You were not in a good place at the time because a long term relationship had broken down. However you knew it was against the law and wrong to engage in sexual activity with your victim
"There is no doubt whatsoever your victim has been impacted to a considerable extent by the relationship that she had with you."
Arthur Gibson, defending, pointed out that the offences took place with a two week period when the girl was three months short of her 16th birthday.
He said the offences happened after the break down of a very serious relationship. He suffers from agoraphobia and depression and it was his continual demands on her that led to her leaving him.
Judge Aubrey ordered Chan, of Manchester Road, Southport, to sign on the Sex Offenders Register for life.
