BRIDLINGTON SEX OFFENDER BENJAMIN LUMBY JAILED FOR GROOMING TEENS AND BREACHING ORDERS

In a series of disturbing criminal cases, Benjamin Lumby, a 28-year-old man from Bridlington, has been convicted and sentenced for a range of serious offences involving the grooming and exploitation of teenage girls. His criminal activities spanned over several years, during which he targeted vulnerable young females in the Bridlington and Driffield areas, using social media platforms and in-person encounters to carry out his predatory behavior.

Lumby’s actions first drew significant legal attention in March 2016 when magistrates issued a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) against him. This order was notable because Lumby was not a convicted sex offender at the time, yet the court deemed it necessary to restrict his contact with girls aged 16 and under until 2021. The order aimed to prevent him from accessing or communicating with minors, reflecting the court’s concern over his grooming tactics and predatory tendencies.

Despite the restrictions, Lumby was found to have breached the order multiple times. His violations included failing to comply with the terms of the SHPO, breaching a Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO), and ignoring a non-molestation order. He also failed to adhere to notification requirements, which are part of the legal obligations for individuals considered a risk to the public. These breaches culminated in his trial at Teesside Crown Court, where he was found guilty of perverting the course of justice among other offences, leading to his imprisonment.

Details of his criminal conduct reveal a pattern of grooming young girls via Facebook, where he would establish online contact before inviting them out in his Vauxhall Corsa. Once together, Lumby would often take the girls to secluded locations such as the Carnaby Industrial Estate, where he engaged in sexual activities with them after providing food, alcohol, and cannabis to lower their inhibitions. His manipulative tactics and exploitation of their vulnerability were central to his offending behavior.

In October, Lumby attempted to have his existing order overturned at Hull Crown Court, claiming he was not a sex offender and that the evidence against him was insufficient. However, Judge Simon Jack dismissed his appeal, emphasizing the seriousness of his actions. The judge highlighted that Lumby had engaged in sexual relationships with multiple 16-year-old girls, often meeting them repeatedly and exploiting their impressionability. Judge Jack described the victims as “vulnerable young girls,” emphasizing the need for protection against what he termed “abuse and exploitation by a cynical sexual predator.”

Further evidence presented during the trial revealed that Lumby deliberately targeted girls as young as 14 in the Bridlington and Driffield regions. Some of the allegations included rape, with the court hearing that Lumby groomed these girls with the clear intent of having sex with them. One girl, who had sex with Lumby, also had sex with a friend of his, who was a registered sex offender. Text messages from Lumby to his friend exposed his callous attitude towards the girls, with messages such as: “Lasses like that get in the way because one of us ends up getting too close to her. Like her for what she’s best for, a f***, that’s how it should be lad,” and “You shouldn’t get attached lad. You know how it is. Bros before hoes.”

For his extensive criminal conduct, Lumby was sentenced to a total of 30 months in prison. His conviction marked a significant legal victory in the fight against grooming and exploitation in the region.

In a separate but related case from October 2016, Lumby was also involved in a disturbing seaside scene involving dogging, where he was accused of abusing teenage girls as part of a sexual activity involving cars and public spaces. Court proceedings revealed that Lumby, then 27, was notorious for targeting a McDonald’s drive-thru opposite a school in Bridlington, where he would attempt to meet young girls driving his blue Vauxhall Corsa. Once lured into his vehicle, he would take them to Carnaby Industrial Estate to engage in sexual acts with other participants in the dogging scene.

Following these incidents, police sought to impose a Sexual Harm Prevention Order in March, which prohibited Lumby from living or associating with girls under 16, as well as from entering school grounds and seeing his former best friend. This order was granted despite Lumby having no prior convictions for sexual offences, marking a first in national legal history. The order also required him to register on the National Sex Offenders’ Register.

During the court hearings, victims recounted violent and abusive incidents, including Lumby pushing one girl out of a moving car, spitting at her, and stabbing her with a key after an argument. Another girl was reportedly taken 500 miles away as a ward of court amid allegations of ongoing sexual abuse since she was 14, with claims that Lumby had taken her for lifts in his car and engaged in sexual activity.

Despite the restrictions, Lumby appealed the court’s decision, claiming he was unfairly targeted and that he had engaged in consensual relationships with women who were 16 or older. He admitted to having sex with three girls aged 16 after the order was in place, asserting that group sex was common among women in Bridlington. Lumby also acknowledged sending explicit texts about “getting her” and “bros before hoes,” and admitted to organizing girls for his best friend.

Throughout the trial, the prosecution painted a picture of a manipulative and violent man who used Facebook to groom, control, and exploit young women. Witnesses described how Lumby would delete their contact details, block their friends, and physically assault them, including during pregnancy. The court heard that Lumby had previously been convicted of ABH and battery, but maintained that he was in normal relationships and that much of the evidence was hearsay.

In his defense, Lumby claimed he was the victim of a conspiracy by police and social services, alleging that he was unfairly targeted due to bitterness from former partners. His defense argued that his promiscuous lifestyle did not make him a paedophile and that the extensive restrictions imposed on him were unjustified. However, Judge Simon Jack dismissed these claims, emphasizing that Lumby’s pattern of behavior demonstrated a clear risk to young girls.

Judge Jack concluded that Lumby’s actions warranted the extension of the order to include females up to 18 years old, citing his history of manipulating and abusing minors. The court condemned Lumby’s conduct, stating that his behavior was indicative of a man prepared to exploit and harm vulnerable girls. The judge also ordered Lumby to pay £1,600 towards the legal costs of the case, reinforcing the seriousness with which the court viewed his crimes.