'Every parent's worst nightmare' as two girls abducted from seafront and sexually abused

A 27-year-old man who "befriended and abducted two children" before sexually assaulting them at a Lincolnshire seaside resort has been jailed.

Jason Hoodlass who was described in court as "an exceptionally high risk to the public" lured the two girls to a tourist attraction in Cleethorpes to abuse them and take indecent images.

Hoodlass also took the children to a shop in Grimsby town centre where he filmed them in the changing rooms.

Jeremy Evans, prosecuting, said the girls had visited the seafront at Cleethorpes and were in an arcade when Hoodlass spotted them and started watching them.

Street cameras captured him making contact with the girls. He took them to Ross Castle where he sexually assaulted them and took pictures on his phone.

Hoodlass then accompanied them to Grimsby town centre where he filmed them trying clothes on in a fitting room shop. Mr Evans said Hoodlass spend £30 on children's clothes, jewellery and drinks for the girls.

After a couple of hours the girls left his company, saying they were going to meet someone and raised the alarm.

Hoodlass of Immingham, admitted two offences of abduction and an offence of voyeurism.

He also admitted making hundreds of indecent images of children and viewing videos of children being sexually abused.

A further offence of breach of a previous Sexual Harm Prevention Order, which barred him from contact with children under 16, was also admitted at Grimsby Crown Court.

Defending Hoodlass, Craig Lowe said his client had been candid about his offending. "He realises he has a real problem and needs assistance with it."

Judge Richard Woolfall told Hoodlass: "You have a sexual preoccupation with children."

He said the children had gone to the beach to play when Hoodlass noticed they were not in the company of an adult.

He added: "For three-and-a-half hours you had those children in your control. You did that because you wanted to sexually abuse those children.

"Ross Castle was designed to provide a vantage point. It gave you the perfect place to carry out your offences. It gave you a good view of anyone that was coming. You groomed, befriended and abducted these two children."

Judge Woolfall described the events as "every parent's worst nightmare".

He added: "They are living with this. You did not give that a second thought. You were driven by your own selfish sexual desires."

Judge Woolfall said Hoodlass posed "an exceptionally high risk to the public" and imposed an extended sentence.

He jailed Hoodlass for a total of 13 years and three months, which includes a four-year extension because of the danger he poses.

He said that Hoodlass would be eligible for parole after half the sentence and the rest of the sentence would be on licence.

A Sexual Harm Prevention Order, not to be in contact with children under 18, would be in place for the rest of his life. He must also be on the Sex Offenders Register for life.

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