LINCOLN MAN MARTYN CAIRNS SENTENCED FOR SEXUAL ABUSE AND GROOMING OF VULNERABLE GIRL IN LINCOLN AND SHEFFIELD
In September 2017, a disturbing case emerged involving a 50-year-old man from Lincoln, identified as Martyn Cairns, who was convicted of engaging in sexual activities with a vulnerable teenage girl after grooming her through online communications.The case was brought to light at Lincoln Crown Court, revealing a pattern of predatory behavior that spanned several months and involved multiple locations, including Sheffield and Lincoln.
According to court proceedings, Cairns initially established contact with the teenage girl by offering her emotional support, acting as a confidant during her difficult times.
Over the course of their online interactions, Cairns and the girl exchanged photographs, starting with images of her face and underwear, and eventually progressing to fully naked pictures.
Cairns also sent explicit images of himself, including a photograph of his penis.
The prosecution, led by Gareth Gimson, detailed how Cairns arranged to meet the girl in person at Sheffield Ice Rink.
Their meetings continued at her home in Sheffield, where initial encounters involved innocent gestures such as holding hands and hugging.
The girl, who was underage, met Cairns on five separate occasions without her mother’s knowledge.
It was only after some time that she confided in her mother about Cairns, expressing her belief that she was in love with him.
Her mother initially thought Cairns was helping her cope with issues related to self-harm.
During these visits, Cairns would come to see the girl approximately three times a month, often providing financial assistance and household items, including a washing machine, to her family.
However, the court heard that Cairns’s relationship with the girl took a darker turn when she was 14 years old, as he began to sexually abuse her.
Over a period of time, they engaged in sexual activity on three separate occasions, with the abuse going undetected until law enforcement intervened.
The arrest was triggered when Cairns was caught grooming what he believed to be a 13-year-old girl named Chelsea on the messaging app Kick Messenger.
Under the guise of a romantic interest, Cairns made sexual comments, sent explicit images, and even a video of himself masturbating.
He told “Chelsea” that she was always welcome in his bed and referred to her as his “princess,” expressing affection and desire.
Unbeknownst to Cairns, “Chelsea” was actually an undercover police officer conducting an operation.
Following his arrest, Cairns, of Newark Road, Lincoln, admitted to five charges of sexual activity with a child related to the girl in Sheffield.
He also pleaded guilty to attempting to incite a girl under 16 to engage in sexual activity through his interactions with “Chelsea.” In sentencing, Recorder Paul Mann QC highlighted the profound impact of Cairns’s actions on the victim, stating that she had been seriously affected and now felt emotionally paralyzed.
Cairns was sentenced to 56 months in prison, placed on the sex offenders’ register for life, and issued a 10-year sexual harm prevention order, underscoring the severity of his crimes and the lasting consequences for the victims involved.
