A CONTROLLING teenager has been jailed for three years after sexually abusing two young girls over an eight-month period.

Matthew James Jarvis, from Abermule, was described by the judge at his sentencing hearing on Thursday, September 16, as someone who “manipulated” the two young girls and “emotionally blackmailed” them for his own sexual gratification.

The 18-year-old previously admitted a total of 12 charges against him – committed when he was 15 and 16 – between 2018 and 2019.

Sentencing Jarvis at Mold Crown Court, Judge Niclas Parry said he would serve his time at a young offender’s institution – telling the defendant he would serve half his sentence before being released on licence for the "dreadfully serious" offences.

“This is not a case about teenage love, mutual fumbling and experimenting, it’s about control," he said.

"Despite your young age it is clear you were sexually mature and you manipulated these young girls.

“You told one what she could and could not wear and who she could and could not socialise with.

“Using children for sexual purposes so your own problems can be soothed is very, very wrong.”

Prosecutor Simon Rogers said Jarvis would ask his female victims to send naked pictures of themselves to him, and touched them and asked them to perform sex acts on him.

Mr Rogers said a mobile phone belonging to the defendant was seized and 35 indecent images of both victims were discovered on it. Jarvis initially denied any wrongdoing before making admissions at a later date.

In victim impact statements read out by Mr Rogers, one victim said: "I’ve been physically and verbally abused, lost good friends and felt controlled as I was told not to speak to my friends.

“I was made to feel worthless and told what I could wear.”

Reading a statement from the second victim, he added: “To this day I still feel nervous about seeing him again. He made me hate myself. I felt it was all my fault and wouldn’t have happened had I done something differently.”

Acting for Jarvis, Gemma Gordon said the pre-sentence report made reference to the defendant’s living arrangements and how he had witnessed domestic abuse, which may have affected him.

“I am not justifying what he did, he knows it was wrong, and he doesn’t seek to minimise what he did,” she said.

“He is aware of the harm caused. He expresses remorse, which I suggest is genuine.”

Ms Gordon also added that Jarvis is expecting a child with his current partner. She added: “He is under no illusions to the seriousness of this. He has no previous experience of the criminal justice system.”

Judge Parry sentenced Jarvis for the two most serious offences – count one and count nine, both relating to sexual activity with a girl aged under 13 – and that there would be no separate penalty for the other offences.

Jarvis was ordered to serve three years for both counts, which will run concurrently. When he is released he will be subject to notification requirements for life. He was also made the subject of a lifelong sexual harm prevention order.

His use of the internet will be regulated, and his involvement with female children under 16 controlled – although this will not apply to a female child of his own, should his partner give birth to a daughter.