Graham Draper, a 31-year-old man from Thornton, Merseyside, was sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court for grooming and sexually abusing a 13-year-old girl when he was 22 years old. As a volunteer scout leader and former police community support officer (PCSO) with Merseyside Police, Draper initiated contact with the victim online, starting with non-sexual messages about various topics before escalating to sexual content.
The abuse spanned an 18-month period, during which Draper picked up the girl in his car, kissed her, and took her to his house. He then drove her to various locations across Merseyside for sexual intercourse on multiple occasions. Draper provided her with gifts such as money and alcohol, professed his love, and promised they would run away together and buy a house when she turned 18. He also misrepresented his role by telling her he was in the police, which was partially true as he was a PCSO at the time, though he has since left that position.
The relationship ended gradually as Draper lost contact with the victim. In 2020, the now-adult victim reported the abuse to the police, and Draper admitted to the allegations during his interview. In her victim personal statement, she described the long-lasting mental health issues resulting from the grooming and its devastating impact on her family.
During the court proceedings, prosecuting barrister Peter Killen detailed the progression of the messages and the physical acts of abuse. Defending barrister Max Saffman argued that Draper was immature and emotionally stunted at the time, struggling to attract women his age, and had since completed rehabilitation courses recommended by police. Saffman noted Draper's cooperation with the investigation, his current long-term relationship and fatherhood, and his expressed guilt.
The Honorary Recorder of Liverpool, Judge Andrew Menary QC, acknowledged Draper's contrition but rejected claims of unique immaturity or lack of awareness of wrongdoing. He stated: "Whilst I accept that you were much younger, and you were not mature for your age, there is nothing I have seen that would suggest you were particularly immature or did not know that what you were doing was wrong." The judge also dismissed Draper's denial of grooming, affirming: "It seems to me that on any view there was grooming behaviour. Grooming can take many forms and has many different styles."
Draper pleaded guilty to eight counts, including sexual activity with a child by kissing, causing a child to watch sexual activity, and multiple counts of sexual activity with a child. The case was reported by the Liverpool Echo on 11 January 2022.