A former Isle of Wight dinner lady, who was given a suspended sentence for having sex with a 14-year-old boy, has had her sentence overturned by the Court of Appeal.
In January 2017, 35 year old Terri Spragg from Ryde was given a 15 month sentence (suspended for two years) at the Isle of Wight Crown Court after she was found guilty of seven charges of sexual activity with a child. She was spared prison by the judge, to avoid her four children having to go into care.
Sentence overturned
However the case was appealed by the Attorney General’s office in the Court of Appeal this week, and Ms Spragg was sentenced to three years in prison and five years on the Sex Offenders’ Register.
Appealing the original sentence, Solicitor General Robert Buckland QC MP, said,
“Gaining a child’s trust and abusing it in this way is unacceptable. The original sentence failed to take proper account of the seriousness of the offence and the impact it has had on the victim and his family.
“I hope the Court’s decision to impose an immediate prison sentence sends a clear message to society that such offences will not be tolerated.”
NSPCC: Deplorable actions
Following the Isle of Wight Crown Court sentencing in January, a spokesperson for the NSPCC said,
“Spragg deliberately targeted and took advantage of an underage boy. Her deplorable actions will have had a serious effect on the victim and we hope he receives swift support.
“Child abuse has devastating effects and can ruin lives. That’s why the NSPCC is visiting primary schools with its Speak Out. Stay Safe service, empowering children to protect themselves from abuse and to speak out if they have concerns.
“Since the service launched, the NSPCC has spoken to more than 2,600 primary school children through 30 unique school visits across the whole of the Isle of Wight.”
Source: IWCP
