A woman who is married and a mother confessed to developing romantic feelings for a vulnerable teenager and has been sentenced to jail. The boy’s mother became emotional while delivering her impact statement in court.
Lindy Leah, aged 44, encountered the teenager while he resided at a care facility in St Helens, Merseyside, where she served as a deputy manager. She was accused of participating in a sexual relationship with him. Despite denying the allegations of using her position to engage in sexual activities with a minor, she was convicted following a trial at Liverpool Crown Court, as detailed by Liverpool Echo.
During the sentencing conducted via video link from HMP Styal, Leah, residing in Orford, Warrington, was reminded of sending WhatsApp messages to the teenager, including requests for affectionate gestures and proposing a drug-influenced getaway.
Prosecutor Graham Pickavance emphasized the severity of the breach of trust over an extended period, highlighting the vulnerability of the victim who was under her care.
The victim’s mother expressed profound anguish, recounting the distress upon discovering the situation involving her son and relinquishing his care to professionals. She described the internal conflict of feeling like a failure for inadvertently exposing her son to a predatory individual.
The mother criticized Leah’s actions, accusing her of manipulating and isolating her son while showering him with gifts and false affection. She expressed frustration at not recognizing the manipulation sooner and highlighted the lasting damage caused to her family.
Leah, displaying no emotion, was defended by Rebecca Filletti, who cited mental health difficulties and remorse on Leah’s part. Despite acknowledging the gravity of the offenses, Leah expressed shame and a desire to make amends.
In addition to the sexual activity charge, Leah pleaded guilty to involvement in drug supply and received a combined 23-month prison sentence. She was also issued a 10-year restraining order and a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, prohibiting contact with the victim and his mother.