Career criminal fears 'vigilante justice' from Leeds offenders for sexual relationship with 13-year-old

John Lock, who has a lengthy criminal record, was found to be in communication with the girl after police seized his mobile phone while being arrested for unrelated matters.

With no previous offences against children, his barrister told Leeds Crown Court that the 33-year-old now feared for his safety among other criminals that he knows.

Christopher Dunn said: “He is a career criminal but nothing of offences of this nature. Vigilante justice is really worrying him. He is not denying what he has done, but there are serious ramifications for him in the world that he inhabits.

"It is totally out of character for this kind of offending. While he has committed an offences of this type, it does not that mean he is that kind of offender. This is a one-off. The defendant, in an isolated way, became infatuated with her. He behaved in a way he ordinarily wouldn’t.”

Lock, of Shakespeare Lawn, Burmantofts, began the relationship with the girl in 2021, telling her he was in love with her and wanted to be with her. He told her he wanted phone sex and made explicit comments about performing a sex act on her.

Police spoke with the girl and she confessed that Lock had kissed her before and he had tried to put his hand inside her underwear. He had also showed her his erect penis and placed her hands on his genitals through his clothing. She told him it was wrong because of their age gap but he said it would okay if she did not tell anyone, prosecutor Michael Greenhalgh told the court.

Mr Greenhalgh said Lock would give her money for “pop and sweets” and for a piercing, and the girl admitted she was attracted to him.

Lock admitted sexual communication with a child, two counts of causing a child to engage in sexual activity, engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child and sexual activity with a child.

Appearing in court from HMP Leeds via video link, the sound from the prison was muted after he tried to reason with the judge and said: “I did not know her age when this first started. I’m not that type of person. I know I’m not the best person who has led a law-abiding life but I’m not that kind of person.”

The judge, Recorder Mark McCone KC, said he recognised that Lock had issues with autism, ADHD and depression, and was taking heroin, cocaine and drinking heavily at the time. He also acknowledged that he had never previously committed any sexual offences, despite having 37 convictions against his name.

He gave him 45 months’ jail, and said he would have sign the sexual offenders register indefinitely. He also gave him an indeterminate-length sexual harm prevention order (SHPO), which will limit his internet use and that the must register and hand over all internet-savvy devices upon request by the police.