Aurimas Turcinavicius, 36, from Hull, has been sentenced to 16 months in prison after admitting to two counts of sexual activity with a child. The offences occurred between August 17 and 27, and between October 26 and 29, involving a 14-year-old girl. Despite being warned by Humberside Police to cease contact with the teenager, Turcinavicius continued his inappropriate behaviour, taking advantage of her vulnerability after she sought shelter at his home following a family dispute.
The case came to light when concerns were raised about the relationship between Turcinavicius and the girl. Prosecuting, David Godfrey told Hull Crown Court that Turcinavicius had groomed the teenager by buying her gifts and proceeded to kiss her sexually on two separate occasions. Photographs found on the girl's phone depicted the pair in compromising situations, including one of them together in bed and others showing them kissing in various locations. These images appeared to be sexualised, highlighting the nature of their interactions.
Following an initial police interview in August, Turcinavicius was explicitly warned about his conduct. However, he ignored this advice, and the second incident occurred when the girl arrived at his home unannounced in the middle of the night after a 'blazing row' at her own residence. The girl's sister reported that she had become significantly more introverted since the events, though the teenager herself declined to assist police further.
In mitigation, Nick Worsley argued that the contact was limited to 'ill-advised kissing' on a couple of occasions, with no further sexual touching. Turcinavicius, originally from Latvia, claimed he kissed her only once on her birthday and expressed deep regret. He was described as hard-working and a model prisoner, with prior custody preventing him from seeing his four-year-old daughter from a recent separation. Worsley emphasised that the girl had initiated some contact amid family troubles, and the photographs were selfies she took, portraying the interactions as 'messing around' rather than deliberate exploitation.
Judge John Thackray QC rejected these minimisations, stating: 'You became very close to your 14-year-old victim and you kissed her in a sexual way on two occasions. There was a very significant disparity in age of over 20 years. You continued to have contact with your victim despite a previous warning.' He stressed the need for an immediate custodial sentence to send a clear message in such cases. Alongside the 16-month jail term, Turcinavicius received a 10-year sexual harm prevention order and must register as a sex offender for 10 years.
The sentencing took place at Hull Crown Court, as reported by Hull Live on April 25, 2022. Humberside Police investigated the matter, confirming the grooming and sexual nature of the kisses, described as involving tongues in what was termed 'French kissing'. Turcinavicius had a previous conviction for criminal damage but no prior sexual offences.