A dental assistant sexually assaulted a 13-year-old boy after she randomly started talking to him after a white wine binge.
Jade Berry, 27, was stumbling through Rivacre Valley Country Park in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, at 9pm when she accosted the child as he sat on a woodland bench talking to a friend about his upcoming 14th birthday.
Berry sat between the two boys and began fondling the 13-year-old’s genitals over his clothing before offering him sex and saying she would “ride you until morning.”
As the shocked youth and his friend got up to leave, she pulled down her pants and exposed herself before passing out in a drunken state.
The two boys took videos of Berry before getting up to leave. She was identified after leaving her bank card and phone on the sofa.
Jade Berry, who lives in the village of Little Sutton near Ellesmere Port, pleaded guilty to assault
Berry sexually assaulted a 13-year-old boy in a park before exposing herself to him and passing out
When Berry was interviewed by police, he exclaimed: ‘Oh my God, I don’t remember anything’ – but was later singled out by the boy during an identity parade.
The 13-year-old, who has ADHD, said he was so traumatized by the encounter that he tried to kill himself.
At Chester Crown Court, Berry – who lives in the village of Little Sutton near Ellesmere Port – pleaded guilty to assault and was sentenced to 12 months in prison, suspended for 18 months.
Berry was also ordered to wear an electronic “sobriety” tag for 120 days as part of an alcohol abstinence monitoring program and will be required to complete 35 rehabilitation days.
She was told she had to register on the sex offenders register for ten years.
Berry had told the court she had mental health problems.
The incident happened on October 3 last year after Berry made his way through the 300-hectare nature reserve following a drinking session with friends.
James Coutts, prosecuting, said: “The victim was sitting on a bench in the woods when the defendant approached him.
‘She was unknown to him and was clearly drunk. She sat between the two boys and began touching and rubbing his genitals and the upper part of his thigh over his clothing, while making highly inappropriate and sexualized comments.
‘She said she would ‘ride him ’til morning.’
‘They had previously discussed his upcoming 14th birthday – and it was very clear to them that she knew how old he was.
Berry told the boy, “I’m going to ride with you until morning.”
‘The boys left almost immediately, leaving her on the couch. She took off her clothes and exposed her genitals and buttocks before passing out. They did make a video of the scene.
‘The victim went home and told his mother, who contacted the police. The officers went to the scene and found her bank card and her phone.
“By the time officers arrived, she had left the area. But she was arrested on October 5. Her response to her arrest was: “Oh my God, I don’t remember anything”.
‘Questions were asked in an interview. She responded “No comment” to all questions. An identity parade was organized involving the victim. He successfully identified the suspect as the one involved in the incident.”
Mr Coutts described the impact of the incident on the teenage victim.
‘The victim described feeling depressed after the attack and described an occasion when he attempted suicide. He had nightmares about the incident and night terrors afterward.
“He described being on medication and feeling unable to return to the park. He doesn’t leave the house much. He feels scared, anxious and generally unsafe.
‘He has received guidance from two different sources to aid his recovery, but he has lost the confidence he had. It is clear that there are aggravating factors associated with this crime.
‘There was the presence of alcohol and the suspect’s intoxication and the victim was particularly vulnerable due to his age and difficulties.’
Berry had one previous drunk driving conviction from 2021.
Berry, 27, drank white wine before approaching the boy and his friend at Rivacre Valley Country Park in Ellesmere Port
Her counsel John Wyn Williams said: ‘She has unfortunately suffered from mental health problems since the age of 15 or 16 and Covid has been a particularly difficult time for her.
‘She has a self-destructive nature and because of this nature she has turned to alcohol to cope with his problems, but she now realizes that this is not the answer to her problems.
“Her parents’ divorce is another factor that has caused her mental anguish. Her memory of this unfortunate incident is quite sparse, but she did not want the young boy to have to testify in a court case.
‘Her psychiatrist identifies anxiety disorders, panic attacks (and) borderline personality disorders as mental health problems – and because of those problems she has been drinking too much.
“It appears that her alcohol intoxication drove her to commit this crime. There is genuine remorse and she shows empathy for the victim.
Berry, pictured, had one previous drunk driving conviction in 2021
Sentencing, Judge Eric Lamb said: ‘Because it was a chance encounter you were unaware of the vulnerability of your victim, but the consequences of what you did were devastating for the complainant and his family.
‘He tried to take his own life, suffered from night terrors and needed help to try to cope with the impact of what you did.
‘You can’t remember what you did because of the amount of alcohol you drank, but committing a criminal offense while drinking is an aggravating circumstance.
‘The reasons for your drinking are numerous and complex and whilst I have to take into account whether or not you pose a risk of serious harm to members of the public by committing further specific offences, the conclusion in your case is that such the risk is low. I accept that there is sincere and sincere remorse.
‘On the one hand, this is an assault on a young person by someone aged 27 and it is clearly a serious matter.
‘But on the other hand, there is a strong personal softening resulting from genuine remorse and the series of events that led you to mental health problems. You now realize that you have to change your behavior.’