Wayne Andrew Thomas Taylor, 51, pursued a relationship with a young teen, often asking her to go to the speedway with him. Photo / NZME
Wayne Andrew Thomas Taylor, 51, pursued a relationship with a young teen, often asking her to go to the speedway with him. Photo / NZME
For almost two years, 51-year-old Wayne Andrew Thomas Taylor pursued a secret relationship with a young teen, telling her that the two were boyfriend and girlfriend and would one day marry.
But while the Taranaki man urged the girl to keep their communication private, instructing her it was “their secret”, it all came to an end when the teen’s mother learned of the covert relationship.
She confronted Taylor about the inappropriate messages and demanded that he stop contacting her daughter.
Taylor apologised and promised that he would seek help, the police summary of facts stated.
On Thursday, Taylor appeared in New Plymouth District Court where he admitted a charge of indecent communication with a young person under the age of 16 and arranging to meet a young person following sexual grooming.
The summary states that between April 2021 and November 2022, he contacted the girl on a regular basis via text message and Facebook Messenger.
The contents of the messages sent by Taylor became increasingly inappropriate and included sexualised remarks toward the girl, whose exact age was not stated.
Taylor appeared in New Plymouth District Court on Thursday. Photo / Tara Shaskey
He sent her several messages asking her to attend the speedway with him and that while there he would hold her hand “because that’s what boyfriend and girlfriend do”.
At one point, the teen and her family went away on holiday. When Taylor learned of their holiday, he texted the girl and said he was going to travel to the same location and arranged to meet with her when he was there.
Over the course of 19 months, Taylor told the teen numerous times that he loved her, that he was her boyfriend and that he would marry her one day.
“The defendant would often ask the victim how much she loved him, if she was still his girlfriend and that he missed her,” the summary said.
He suggested to the girl several times that she moved closer to him so she could “look after him”.
After the teen’s mother confronted Taylor, he sent one last message to the girl’s phone.
It said: “My promise to you both is that I will talk to [a named woman] tonight and yes I will seek help. I’m so sorry”.
When spoken to by police, he confirmed the offending and said he knew sending the messages was wrong.
In court, Judge Gregory Hikaka entered Taylor’s guilty pleas and ordered a pre-sentence report.
Taylor was bailed to an address outside of the region ahead of his sentencing on April 28.
