LEIGH JEFFRIES FROM FAILSWORTH JAILED FOR GROOMING TEEN GIRLS IN MANCHESTER

In a disturbing case that has sent shockwaves through the community of Failsworth and the wider Manchester area, Leigh Jeffries, aged 33, was convicted of grooming and engaging in sexual communications with underage girls. The court heard that Jeffries, who had been actively reaching out to more than 100 young girls via social media platforms, specifically targeted minors and manipulated them through deceitful tactics.

Jeffries pretended to be a teenager himself, using a fake profile picture to create a false identity that would make his interactions more convincing. His deception was part of a calculated effort to establish trust and intimacy with vulnerable young girls, some of whom were as young as 13 or 14. During the proceedings at Manchester Crown Court, it was revealed that Jeffries had admitted to having sexual conversations with six girls, all under the age of 16, and had demanded explicit photographs from them.

The court was told that Jeffries’s online activities began after he turned to internet pornography, a behavior that reportedly intensified following personal relationship difficulties. His communications with the girls often started on group chats on social media platforms such as WhatsApp and Blackberry Messenger, where he initially appeared friendly and supportive. However, as the conversations progressed, the tone shifted to sexual content, with Jeffries making inappropriate and explicit demands.

One girl recounted how she had fallen out with her friends at school and found solace in her interactions with Jeffries, believing he was a source of comfort and support. Another victim described Jeffries as her boyfriend, highlighting the emotional manipulation involved. As their exchanges continued, Jeffries’s requests for indecent images grew more insistent, and he shared his warped sexual fantasies, including statements like, “I want to be having loads of sex with you.”

Despite his claims of wanting to meet up, Jeffries told some girls he could not do so because of his commitments as a sports coach, which he used as a cover to avoid suspicion. The court heard that he also made threats to some victims if they did not respond to his messages, further demonstrating his manipulative tactics.

Suspicion arose when one girl noticed inconsistencies in the photographs Jeffries had sent her, realizing they did not appear to be of the same person. This prompted her to alert the authorities, leading to police involvement. Initially, Jeffries claimed that his computer had been hacked, but he later pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including three counts of possessing indecent images of children and six counts of inciting or encouraging a child to engage in sexual activity.

In a victim impact statement read aloud in court, one girl expressed her feelings of disgust and betrayal. She described how Jeffries had initially made her feel special and supported, but now she feels cheated and finds it difficult to trust anyone. Her words underscored the profound and lasting impact of his actions.

Jeffries’s defense attorney, Henry Blackshaw, explained that his client had been struggling physically and mentally following surgery on his arm to address issues caused by cerebral palsy. Blackshaw suggested that these health problems, coupled with relationship issues with his partner of over six years, led Jeffries to seek solace in internet pornography and, ultimately, in underage girls.

Originally from South Africa, Jeffries moved to the UK in 2010 in search of work. Addressing Jeffries directly as he was sentenced, Judge Martin Rudland condemned his actions, stating, “You lied about your age, you provided a false photograph and therefore induced young, impressionable teenage girls on the verge of sexual maturity to engage with you, which they did. You groomed them to become more willing and susceptible to provide you with sexual content. Your fantasy was their reality. That’s the serious element to this case. You have contaminated six young lives in their formative years.”

Jeffries was subsequently sentenced to six years in prison, a punishment that reflects the gravity of his misconduct and the harm inflicted upon the young victims in Failsworth and beyond.