JOHN BENNETT FROM ORFORD SENTENCED FOR CHILD GROOMING AND INDECENT IMAGES

In February 2011, a serious case involving online grooming and possession of indecent images came to light in Warrington. John Bennett, a 21-year-old resident of Fisher Avenue, Orford, was found guilty of engaging in inappropriate online communication with a 12-year-old girl and possessing a significant collection of indecent images of children.

According to court proceedings, Bennett was arrested after the girl’s mother discovered approximately 50 text messages exchanged between her daughter and Bennett on her mobile phone in February 2009. The messages revealed Bennett’s attempts to persuade the young girl to perform explicit acts on webcam. Specifically, he asked her to strip and show her top on camera, which she refused. The court heard that Bennett had also requested her bra size and her age during their online conversations.

It was revealed that the girl and Bennett had initially connected through the social networking site Facebook. She explained that she had clicked on Bennett’s profile by mistake and did not know how to delete him, which led to their online interactions. The court was told that their communication included email exchanges and webcam chats. During one such webcam session, the girl observed Bennett not wearing a shirt, and he had called her ‘cute’ but did not suggest any face-to-face meeting.

The mother’s intervention was crucial in stopping Bennett’s inappropriate conduct. She contacted him after discovering the messages and warned him to cease contact. Subsequently, she reported the matter to the police. Bennett was arrested in May, and during a search of his computer, authorities uncovered a collection of indecent images and videos. Among these were nine images classified as level four on a five-tier scale, indicating highly graphic content.

During the court hearing, Bennett’s defense lawyer, Simon Berkson, argued that this was a brief episode that was quickly addressed by the mother and that Bennett had no prior convictions. He emphasized that Bennett was trying to move on with his life despite the incident.

Judge David Hale sentenced Bennett to 12 months in prison, suspended for two years. Additionally, Bennett was disqualified from working with children, required to register as a sex offender for five years, and mandated to complete the Northumbria Sex Offender Groupwork Programme. The judge remarked that Bennett could benefit from the programme, though it would be challenging and time-consuming, and failure to participate could result in further punishment.