James Lorenzo King

James Lorenzo King, a 48-year-old man of no fixed address, has been sentenced to an additional nine years in prison for multiple counts of indecent assault and gross indecency against a teenage girl. The offences occurred between 2007 and 2011, when King, then aged 28 and living in Scarborough, groomed the victim online by boasting about a previous relationship with a girl of the same age, making her believe they were in a relationship.

King would pick the 14-year-old victim up from school and drive her to secluded locations in Darwen and Burnley for sex in his car, fully aware she was underage. He also transported her to Scarborough on occasions. Despite the victim repeatedly telling him to stop, King continued the assaults. In one disturbing incident, he held a knife to her throat after she refused his demand to have sex with his friends, becoming angry at her refusal.

The case came to light as part of ongoing investigations into King's predatory behaviour. At Preston Crown Court, the judge ordered that the nine-year sentence would commence only after King completes the 13-year term he received in 2019 at Leeds Crown Court for similar sexual offences. Detective Constable Lorraine Widdas of Lancashire Police's East CID described King as "a dangerous individual who has a clear and sordid sexual interest in young girls." She praised the victim's "incredible bravery and strength throughout the trial."

Lancashire Police, the prosecuting force, continue to investigate King's activities during the period in question and have appealed for information from potential additional victims, particularly those affected between 2007 and 2011. The force emphasised King's exploitation of the victim's innocence through grooming tactics.