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Cadet man jailed for sex offence Cadet man jailed for sex offence
(about 1 hour later)
An air cadet instructor who had a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old girl, has been jailed for five years.An air cadet instructor who had a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old girl, has been jailed for five years.
Paul Nicholls, 39, from Pontygwaith in Rhondda Cynon Taf, was found guilty of two counts of sexual activity with a girl under 16 at a previous hearing.Paul Nicholls, 39, from Pontygwaith in Rhondda Cynon Taf, was found guilty of two counts of sexual activity with a girl under 16 at a previous hearing.
His victim reported him to police after 13-year-old Cherrell Ardle, who was also believed to be in a sexual relationship with him, hanged herself.His victim reported him to police after 13-year-old Cherrell Ardle, who was also believed to be in a sexual relationship with him, hanged herself.
The judge told Nicholls he had been "manipulative and persistent".
Nicholls will also serve an extended period of three years on licence.Nicholls will also serve an extended period of three years on licence.
His victim was in Newport Crown Court surrounded by her family to watch Nicholls being sentenced.
Judge Eleri Rees said he must serve an extended period on licence for the protection of the public once his jail term is finished.
He had denied having sex with a 15-year-old girl, who cannot be named, during two months in 2007.He had denied having sex with a 15-year-old girl, who cannot be named, during two months in 2007.
Now aged 16, she told the Merthyr Crown Court during the trial that it was Cherrell's sexual relationship with the defendant which "tipped her over the edge".Now aged 16, she told the Merthyr Crown Court during the trial that it was Cherrell's sexual relationship with the defendant which "tipped her over the edge".
Cherrell Ardle was found hanged at home in late 2007
She said Nicholls, who was in the RAF for just over 12 years, had sex with both of them and Cherrell had referred to it as rape.She said Nicholls, who was in the RAF for just over 12 years, had sex with both of them and Cherrell had referred to it as rape.
While no one can say what caused her to take her own life, it's a matter of grave concern you were prepared to engage in inappropriate behaviour with such a needy child Judge Eleri Rees
Cherrell was found hanging in her bedroom in Rhondda, south Wales, on 3 December 2007.Cherrell was found hanging in her bedroom in Rhondda, south Wales, on 3 December 2007.
"I think, personally, like everyone she had a hard time and he tipped her over the edge," the 16-year-old said. His victim was in Newport Crown Court surrounded by her family to watch Nicholls being sentenced.
The older girl told police she had slept with Nicholls 10 times between June and August 2007, before he moved onto Cherrell. Judge Eleri Rees said he must serve an extended period on licence for the protection of the public once his jail term is finished.
Police were told Mr Nicholls had sex with the older girl in his bedroom, his living room and in his car parked on a mountain. Nicholls had sex with his victim on a number of occasions over 10 weeks in the summer of 2007.
The court heard Nicholls sent her a text saying he wanted to invite both the girls to have sex. Judge Rees said his victim did not make her complaint until Cherrell's death in December 2007 because she was convinced she killed herself because she too was having sex with him.
In one text he allegedly wrote: "I know one is better than none. But now I prefer two." The judge told Nicholls his victim was "vulnerable, susceptible and lonely because her father was living away and she regarded you as a substitute father figure".
The court heard that police found several text messages from Nicholls on the both girls' phones. She said his victim had described to the trial at Merthyr Crown Court how he repeatedly tried to get her to go to his house and that she finally agreed on her 15th birthday.
Cherrell Ardle was found hanged at home in late 2007
The judge said the teenager had given evidence about how she told Nicholls she did not want to have sex or lose her virginity, but the defendant had told her if she said "no" she always would.
Judge Rees described how Nicholls had sent a large number of sexual text messages to the girl including one which read "prefer 2 nowadays" which the teenager had said meant he wanted to have sex with both her and Cherrell.
"This was a determined and persistent course of conduct using every means at your disposal," the judge told him.
She said that while he had not been charged in relation to Cherrell, evidence of inappropriate texts and emails he had sent her emerged in the trial.
The judge said his behaviour to Cherrell had been such that both her mother and her boyfriend had tackled him about it.
"Cherrell was a very troubled, vulnerable young girl. While no one can say what caused her to take her own life, it's a matter of grave concern you were prepared to engage in inappropriate behaviour with such a needy child," she said.
The judge told him his continued denial of guilt showed a lack of remorse for what he had done.
"During the course of this trial, I'm satisfied there was clear evidence of your distorted thinking. You're manipulative and persistent and it's essential these issues are addressed."
Disqualified
She disqualified Nicholls from working with children, and ordered that he be put on the sex offenders register indefinitely.
The judge also made a sexual offences prevention order to prevent him being alone with a girl under the age of 17 after his release from prison.
Speaking outside court, the victim's father said he wanted the law changed so the community would be informed when Nicholls is released from jail.
He said: "The judge called him a predator and you don't suddenly become a predator at 38.
"People need to be aware when he's released into the community.
"As the judge said, (my daughter) said 'no' to him, she didn't want to have sex.
"Where I come from, when a girl says no it means they don't want to have sex, so I don't understand that part."