A MAN who planned to rape a 12-year-old child he had been grooming for months has been jailed.
Casey Delaney, 30, of Denmark Close, Luton, was sentenced to eight years in prison at Swindon Crown Court last Friday.
The Judge imposed a 20-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order, which prevents Delaney from having any contact with the victim.
In a statement read to the court, the victim's mother said: "He has taken the innocence away from our little girl. She will never get that back."
Hotel
Delaney groomed the girl — who he met through the social media platform Snapchat — from July 2023 through to when he was arrested on February 3, 2024.
On this date, he had booked a room at Premier Inn in Swindon to stay the night with the child.
Messages retrieved from the victim's phone revealed his intention was to have sex with her.
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 arrested and remanded in custody, where he remained until he was sentenced.
"During the summer of 2023 both myself and my partner noticed a significant change in [our daughter]," the victim's mother added.
"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 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."
'Manipulated'
Speaking after the sentencing, Detective Constable Geoff Newnham of Wiltshire Police said Delaney had 'meticulously groomed' his victim from the summer of 2023 until February 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," he added.
"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."
Delaney has also been placed on the Sex Offenders' Register for life.
