Woman jailed for five-and-a-half years for grooming boy for sex

Jodie Delray was jailed for 5 years and 6 months for sexual activity with boys aged 12 and 13. Picture: Norfolk Constabulay Norfolk Constabulay

A 35-year-old woman who groomed a young boy for sex has been jailed for five-and-a-half years and placed on the sex offenders’ register for life.

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Jodie Delray, of Easthaugh Road, Lyng, was convicted following a nine-day trial of sex assault and sexual activity with the boy, who was aged about 12 to 13 at the time of the abuse, Norwich Crown Court heard.

Delray, who was wearing a grey hoodie, wept in the dock as she was sentenced. She had denied all the offences,

William Carter, prosecuting, said there was an element of grooming to her behaviour and an aggravating feature of the abuse was the disparity in their ages.

Michael Clare, who did not represent Delray at trial but appeared for her defence, said the defendant was of very low risk of re-offending.

He said she was concerned at her trial about the impression she gave to the court as she had been advised not to show her emotions.

“She feels she has been let down in the way she presented herself.”

He said she was a vulnerable individual with a number of health problems and suffered from chronic fatigue syndrome.

“Custody for her will be all the more punishment for her. She is someone who will find it extremely difficult.”

Sentencing Delray, Judge Anthony Bate said he accepted she was a woman of previous good character and said he had received a number of testimonials from her friends and family, who spoke of her many qualities.

He said she had been convicted by the jury of six of nine counts she faced and said: “I can do nothing in this case other than my public duty.”

Judge Bate said she had started by sexually assaulting the boy and this was a “precursor” to them going on to engage in sex.

“Full sex began to occur initiated by you. These clandestine sex trysts continued for some time.”

He said the Appeal Court had stressed the point about how a teenage boy is often “ill-equipped” to cope with a premature sexual experience.

He also made Delray subject to a sexual harm prevention order.