35 year old House Wife to spend Two years in Jail for Sexually abusing 13 year old boy

Housewife, 35, who sexually abused 13-year-old boy after grooming him with iPhone and designer clothing gifts is jailed for more than two years

Emma Burton was said to have cast a 'spell' over the teenage boy But the boy's parents became suspicious after she bought him two iPhones Police interviewed Burton about the relationship and was bailed with conditionsBut the pair then spent the night together at Birmingham's luxury La Tour Hotel


Emma Burton was jailed for two-and half years at Manchester Crown Court

A housewife who had an illicit relationship with a 13-year-old boy wept as she was jailed for two and a half years at Manchester Crown Court on Monday.

Emma Burton, 35, was said to have cast a 'spell' over the teenager after she met him through family friends.

She used her husband's company credit card to buy the youngster designer goods from Selfridges.

The mother-of-four was warned not to contact the boy by his parents who were suspicious about her after she bought their son two iPhones.

But she ignored the pleas and swapped messages with the teenager on Snapchat.

The affair was exposed after the boy's parents checked his iPad to discover a picture of Burton and their son kissing.

The police were called but the boy ran away from home, telling his parents: 'I love her and I am going to make a life with her. I am with her now.'

Burton was then interviewed and bailed with conditions - as her victim did not want to help police.

But the pair then spent the together at the luxury La Tour Hotel in Birmingham where rooms can cost up to £252 a night.

They then went on another shopping spree at the Trafford Centre near Manchester.

Police arrested Burton after officers spotted the pair in her BMW car and found their underwear in the back seat.



Manchester Crown Court heard how Burton cast a 'spell' over the thirteen-year-old boy

She later claimed any sexual activity between them related to one single kiss.

Burton, from Bradford, West Yorkshire admitted sexual activity with a child, meeting a boy under 16 after grooming and arranging or facilitate travel of another person with a view to exploitation.

Her husband watched from the public gallery as Judge Tony Cross QC told her: 'Again and again you were warned but you carried on. I form the view that you carried on because you came to the conclusion that the boy was under your spell.

'The parents confronted their son and there was a violent argument and he was running about wielding a knife that demonstrates just how disturbed a child can be as a result of your actions. That was the power you held over him.

La Tour Hotel 

After being interviewed by police Burton and the boy spent a night together at the luxury La Tour hotel in Birmingham

'The family were distraught that they had lost their son to you.

'There is no evidence of anything sexual because your victim has refused to co-operate, but you were together for a considerable period of time and you should understand therefore just how disturbing conduct like this can have on the mind of a young person.

'You were of good character and I am satisfied that you are remorseful for your actions but this of course does cross the custody threshold and immediate custody must prevail.'

In mitigation Burtons lawyer Isobel Thomas said: 'She met her husband when she was 19 and they had a happy life together.



Trafford centre

The pair then went on a shopping spree at the Trafford Centre in Manchester

'He sits in court today supporting her and they have four children together, a 14, 13, 10 and six year-old.

'In December 2015 her father died which bought up many issues with the defendant. She began to drink more and felt disconnected from her family and felt depressed, struggling to cope with day to day life.

'She felt she was able to talk to the boy more easily and he made her feel good by saying that he loved her. She knows how wrong her actions were.

'She knows she must be punished for what she has done and wants to be punished for her actions.'