Former law student jailed for child sex offences

A former law student has been jailed after initiating a sexual relationship with a child over Snapchat, police have said.

Oliver Thomas Lupton Lane, 24, admitted 11 charges including sexual activity with a child, arranging or facilitating the commission of a child sex offence and several charges of making indecent photographs of children.

North Yorkshire Police said Lane - of Richmond Hill, Garman Carr Lane, Wistow, Selby - was arrested after a girl, who was 14 at the time, disclosed that she had begun speaking to a man over Snapchat and they had met and engaged in sexual activity.

He was sentenced to six years and 10 months at York Crown Court on Friday.

Following the victim's disclosure, police said Lane was arrested and his devices seized. Those devices were found to contain child abuse material relating to the victim as well as two other children.

In a statement, the force said a lengthy Snapchat conversation between the victim and Lane was recovered at the time.

The contents of the chat clearly demonstrated that Lane was fully aware of the child's age, and yet he went on to groom her, cause her to make explicit photographs and video, and to meet her for sex, acccording to police.

Lane was in his third year of a law degree at the time he was identified as a suspect, and "had boasted to one of his victims that he was already a lawyer", police said.

Det Con Oliver Dalby said: "The offences for which Lane has pleaded guilty are wholly reprehensible."

"He has inflicted such a profound level of emotional trauma upon one of his victims, that she is unsure whether she will ever fully recover. "

He added: "I would like to thank the victims in this case for their bravery, trust and patience. It would not have been possible to bring Lane to justice without their co-operation. "

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