Suspended sentence: Scarlet Drury, 19, committed sexual offences against three underage children

A teenage girl who had sex with a young boy in a car on a beach and engaged in sex acts with underage girls - before claiming 'age is just a number' - has been spared jail.

Scarlet Drury, 19, of Skelton-in-Cleveland, North Yorkshire, committed sex offences against three underage children when she was 17 and 18.

She had sex with a teenage boy on Redcar beach after drinking alcohol and was repeatedly seen kissing, cuddling and taking part in sexual activity with the two teenage girls.

Drury admitted five charges of sexual activity with a child and one of taking a child without lawful authority – and received a one-year prison sentence suspended for two years.

Teesside Crown Court heard that she bragged about the activity – replying after she was told how old the girls were that ‘age doesn't matter’, ‘age is just a number’ and ‘yeah, it's fine’.

Drury defied child abduction notices banning her from communicating with the girls. When challenged, she said: ‘I know it's wrong and the police are taking me to court. I'm probably going to jail for it. I'll still do it when I get out.’

The court was told how one of the girls was said to be nervous and paranoid, blamed herself for what happened, struggled emotionally to accept it and isolated herself from her family.

Concerns had been raised about reports of sexual activity at Drury's flat when it was alleged children went to the property in school uniforms and there was alcohol and cannabis there.

Covering her face: Drury admitted five charges of sexual activity with a child and one of taking a child without lawful authority – and received a one-year prison sentence suspended for two years

Jo Kidd, defending, said Drury was a young, vulnerable woman who had battled hard in the last 18 months with drugs and alcohol. She said Drury was very sorry and would not offend again.

Judge Tony Briggs told her: ‘You've had a very tragic past for which you are in no way responsible.

Age is just a number What Scarlet Drury claimed

‘You lived with your mother who was ill and then lived with your father but he was, unhappily, addicted to drugs and alcohol and introduced you to these substances. You relied on these substances from your very early teens.

'You were in a very powerless state indeed. All this happened a considerable time ago, two years since the last offence.’