Benjamin Cain, the Blackpool Paedophile, stated he was unaware of the young girl’s infatuation with him, nevertheless initiated a relationship when she departed from the care home where he was employed.
A carer at a Fylde children’s home established a bond with a youngster before subsequently raping her at her supported accommodation.
Benjamin Cain, 42, of Winton Avenue, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY4, was employed at a care home when he encountered the minor. During a trial at Preston Crown Court, the girl stated that she got infatuated with Cain and developed romantic feelings for him while being in Local Authority care at the house.
Benjamin Cain, who was more than twice the girl’s age, claimed to have been oblivious to her ‘schoolgirl crush.’ But when it was time to move to her own flat, she said Benjamin Cain hugged her and kissed her full on the lips, describing it as ‘a snog’. “She was absolutely delighted”, Judge Philip Parry, sentencing, said.
The following morning Benjamin Cain promised to visit the youngster at her new home when he returned from his holiday two weeks later From that point Benjamin Cain and the teen had a sexual relationship which lasted for around 14 months.
“You maintained the power dynamic between you”, Judge Parry said. The girl described how Benjamin Cain had a temper and would arrogantly tell her, “you’re my girlfriend – I can have sex with you whenever I want.”
On one occasion, she said something changed while they were having sex and she told Benjamin Cain to stop. He carried on and became violent, pushing her against a wall and pushing her face into a pillow as she ‘screamed the flat down’. As soon as the ordeal was over the young woman accused her boyfriend of rape, but she told the court he laughed in her face.
The girl ended the relationship but told the jury that in the month that followed she would see Benjamin Cain hanging around close to her work. A year after the relationship ended he contacted her by text, saying he wanted to smooth things over.
Judge Parry said: “Her responses were absolutely spot on. She said you were only contacting her to ease your guilty conscience. You knew that a little less than a year earlier you had committed the offence of rape and you wanted her to not say anything. That backfired spectacularly.”
The woman told her partner and later the manager of the children’s home where she and Benjamin Cain had met. Benjamin Cain was arrested and denied any wrongdoing, but was dismissed from his position as a care worker.
However following a week long trial he was convicted of rape and sexual activity with a child by a person in a position of trust. Handing down a sentence of five years and nine months in prison, Judge Parry told him: “You were trained in relation to how you should behave around vulnerable children including how to avoid situations where a vulnerable child could be exploited.
“You knew the rules and the reasons why you should not behave inappropriately with children in your care. You were trained in the way you should act.” The judge accepted Benjamin Cain has no previous convictions but said it was this previous good character which unlocked the defendant’s access to vulnerable girls.
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