Bolton martial art teacher who groomed girl, 15, for sex jailed

Manchester Crown Court was told how Martin Yankey, then 34, would take the girl from a children's home to exploit her.

The girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was often reported missing from the home, when she had been with Yankey.

Yankey, now 37, of Firs Road, Over Hulton, groomed his victim between February and May 2018 at his then-home in High Street, Atherton.

One taxi driver reported taking the girl to Yankey's home, in April 2018, and

The care home often reported her missing with police visiting Yankey’s address on April 13 2018, where taxi drivers had reported taking her and it being “a bit dodgy”, and showed him a picture of her, telling him she was only 15-years-old.

Martin Yankey

Prosecutor Rachel Shenton said when police visited Yankey's home, on April 13, 2018, after a tip-off from a taxi driver, he denied knowing the girl.

Police went back on May 1 and 5 and “he was told she was missing from home and he denied knowing her. Police again visited on May 5 and this time he (officer) showed the defendant pictures of her.

"He was told she was 15-years-of-age and was missing from a children’s home. He was specifically warned that if she was found in his home, he could be arrested for child abduction".

The court heard that due to the amount of times she went missing she went to live with foster carers. But on May 18 she left her foster carers and got into a white Range Rover, which sped away.

Yankey’s home was visited again, as he complained about the repeated searches. He was arrested for child abduction and the girl was then found hiding in a kitchen cupboard.”

The victim told police she would often go to his home, where “they drank alcohol and he gave her cocaine”.

She believed after a few visits that they were in a relationship and would visit regularly as he would tell her he “loved her”.

Martin Yankey when he was a kids martial arts instructor

Ms Shenton said that was part of grooming the victim, who was particularly vulnerable as she was in care.

Yankey told police he believed the victim was 17 and denied their relationship was sexual.

A statement from the victim said: "I was given drink and drugs and suffered extreme sexual abuse. I started showering excessive amounts and self harming, I tried to make sense of it but I couldn’t.”

She has suffered from post traumatic stress disorder, depression and anxiety and had tried to take her own life.

Yankey admitted to sexual activity with a child, abduction and possession of indecent images of a child.

He was also given an indefinite restraining order, covering his victim, and a sexual harm prevention order.

Defending Yankey, Jo Morris said that he was now in a “committed relationship” and he should be given credit for entering guilty pleas.

Ms Morris also said Yankey had been diagnosed with psychosis and epilepsy in 2019 and had not been making “sensible” decisions at the time.

Passing sentence, Judge Hilary Manley branded Yankey a "devious and selfish man".

The judge added: "“You exploited a 15-year-old who was vulnerable and having a troubled time in her young life and in the care of the local authority.

“You were more than twice her age and spent years working with young people. You would have had to have been well aware of child safe guarding issues.

“You gave her so much cocaine her it damaged her septum and gave her a lot of alcohol.

“You executed classic methods of grooming, being loving and making her feel like an adult.

“Police visited you many times where you said you didn’t know her but the last time searched thoroughly and found her hiding in a cupboard.

“You are a devious and selfish man having an exploitative sexual relationship with her, giving her so much cocaine she lost a full days memory.

“She doesn’t feel she will ever recover and has tried to take her own life. She has been diagnosed with depression and anxiety.

“You have shown no remorse and have no real idea the damage you have done. This is because you are a selfish man who sees yourself as the victim.

“It is interesting and disturbing that your latest partner is 20-years-old, it’s not illegal but there is a significant age gap again.”