A man who planned to rape a young girl in a Swindon hotel has been jailed.
30-year-old Casey Delaney groomed the 12-year-old victim for several months, after starting up a conversation with her on the social media platform Snapchat.
On 3 February 2024, the defendant booked a room at the Premier Inn and arranged to meet her there.
A call was made to Wiltshire Police from a concerned friend of the victim, who saw Delaney walk into the hotel with his arm around the girl. He was soon arrested and remanded in custody.
Messages retrieved from the victim’s phone revealed his intention was to have sex with her.
Delaney, of Denmark Close, Luton, pleaded guilty to three counts of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity. He was sentenced to eight years in prison at Swindon Crown Court on Friday (21 February).
The judge imposed a 20-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order, which prevents Delaney from having any contact with the victim or any unsupervised contact with a female under the age of 16.
He was also ordered to register as a sex offender for life.
In a statement read to the court, the victim’s mother said: “During the summer of 2023 both myself and my partner noticed a significant change in [our daughter].
“We were not aware of why this was happening at the time but now know this was due to her being groomed online by this man.
“The changes we saw in [our daughter’s] behaviour were upsetting and painful.”
The court heard how Delaney’s criminality had a devastating impact on the victim’s mental health.
The family’s statement continued: “As her parents, to endure our daughter feeling suicidal and making attempts on her life was one of the hardest things we have faced.
“We were beside ourselves that our 12-year-old daughter felt she couldn’t come to us and felt she had no other way but to end her life left us helpless as a family.
“He has taken the innocence away from our little girl. She will never get that back.”
DC Geoff Newnham, of Wiltshire Police’s Child Abuse Investigation Team, said: “Delaney meticulously groomed his victim from the summer of 2023 up until he was caught on February 3, 2024.
“During this time, he manipulated a child into sending indecent images of herself before travelling to Swindon with the intention of raping her in a hotel.
“While the fact Delaney will spend years behind bars may offer some comfort to the victim and her family, his actions have undoubtedly caused an enormous amount of trauma.
“I would like to offer my thanks to the victim and commend her bravery throughout the entire process.”
