Trio sentenced for sex offences against 16-year-old girl

A woman and two men have been jailed for 'horrendous' sex offences against a 16-year-old girl in Reading.  

Amber Roderick, 19, of no fixed abode, Joseph Lawrence, 29, of Oxford Road, Reading, and Patrick Maughan, 26, of Sun Street, Reading were sentenced at Reading Crown Court yesterday.

Roderick was handed an inderterminate sentence, due to being deemed a danger to the public. Lawrence was jailed for seven years and Maughan was sentenced to six years imprisonment.

A jury found them all guilty of their respective offences after a two week trial at Reading Crown Court in December.

The court heard that on April 3, 2011, the 16-year-old victim was plied with alcohol and subject to an ordeal of sexual abuse during which she was raped.

Victoria Griffiths, senior crown prosecutor for Thames and Chiltern Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), said: “These were horrendous offences committed. The use of force upon the 16-year-old girl and the fact there were a number of people involved, increases the severity and seriousness of these offences."