A convicted rapist has been jailed after performing a sex act on a girl.
Disgraced soldier John Schofield, 42, was locked up for two and a half years at Burnley Crown Court.
Schofield, of Burnley Road, Accrington, pleaded guilty to sexual activity with a child and inciting a child to engage in sexual activity at his sentencing for his attack on the youngster, on Tuesday.
The court heard that when his victim reported his crimes, police seized Schofield’s laptop computer and found he had searched for child porn on more than 100 separate occasions.
The hearing was told that Schofield had been released from a nine-year jail sentence given to him for two counts of rape by a court martial in 2000.
Prosecutor Andrew Robinson told Burnley Crown Court that the police were called to Schofield’s home where they found more than 100 internet searches on his laptop which revealed ‘an enhanced interest in sex with young girls’.
Mr Robinson suggested that Schofield should be classed as a dangerous offender following his previous crimes.
The court was told that Schofield had attacked his rape victim wearing nothing but a balaclava and threatened to kill her if she told anyone.
Jonathan Gregg, defending Schofield, told the court that the only mitigation was the defendant’s guilty plea and the fact that he recognised his own problems.
Recorder Simon Medland QC jailed Schofield for two and a half years with a five-year extended licence. He condemned Schofield’s behaviour as ‘grossly sexual’ and said he is a dangerous offender. He added: “It was a lever to satisfy your perverted sexual interest and in general terms, girls of that age.”
Schofield was also handed a sexual offences prevention order prohibiting him from unsupervised contact with children and he must sign the sex offenders register for life.
