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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Cadet man guilty of sex offences | Cadet man guilty of sex offences |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| An air cadet instructor has been found guilty of two charges of sexual activity with a child. | An air cadet instructor has been found guilty of two charges of sexual activity with a child. |
| Paul Nicholls, 39, from Pontygwaith in Rhondda Cynon Taf, had denied having sex with a 15-year-old girl, who cannot be named, during two months in 2007. | Paul Nicholls, 39, from Pontygwaith in Rhondda Cynon Taf, had denied having sex with a 15-year-old girl, who cannot be named, during two months in 2007. |
| She told Merthyr Crown Court she felt he only stopped as he moved onto her friend Cherrell Ardle, 13, who later hanged herself in her bedroom in 2007. | She told Merthyr Crown Court she felt he only stopped as he moved onto her friend Cherrell Ardle, 13, who later hanged herself in her bedroom in 2007. |
| Nicholls was remanded in custody and told to expect a prison sentence. | |
| The jury was discharged on two further charges of sexual activity with a child and attempted sexual activity after failing to reach a verdict. | |
| Dale Evans says his daughter Cherrell can finally rest | Dale Evans says his daughter Cherrell can finally rest |
| But Judge Eleri Morris told him: "Custody is the only appropriate sentence." | |
| After the verdicts, the 15-year-old's father said: "I'm so proud of my daughter in the way she fought for justice not only for herself but for her friend who can no longer speak up." | |
| The older girl, who is now 16, went to police to tell them that Nicholls had had sex with her and Cherrell after the 13-year-old died. | |
| The prosecution said it was the older girl's belief that Nicholls's conduct to Cherrell caused her to take her own life. | |
| 'Over the edge' | 'Over the edge' |
| The teenager said Cherrell told her he raped her and she had told the court she thought it was Cherrell's sexual relationship with Mr Nicholls that "tipped her over the edge". | The teenager said Cherrell told her he raped her and she had told the court she thought it was Cherrell's sexual relationship with Mr Nicholls that "tipped her over the edge". |
| The older girl told police she had slept with Nicholls 10 times between June and August 2007, before he moved onto Cherrell. | |
| Police were told Mr Nicholls had sex with the older girl in his bedroom, his living room and in his car parked on a mountain. | |
| The court heard Nicholls sent her a text saying he wanted to invite both the girls to have sex. | |
| In one text he allegedly wrote: "I know one is better than none. But now I prefer two." | In one text he allegedly wrote: "I know one is better than none. But now I prefer two." |
| The court heard that police found several text messages from Nicholls on the both girls' phones. | The court heard that police found several text messages from Nicholls on the both girls' phones. |