MATTHEW GOMEZ SENTENCED IN LIVERPOOL FOR SEXUAL OFFENCES INVOLVING CHILDREN
2026-06-17 22:02: The authorities described the 23-year-old man from Crabtree Close, Netherley, as a "dangerous" offender.He covertly took photographs of children using his phone and an iPad.
Additionally, he infiltrated nearly 600 Snapchat accounts, coercing girls and women into sending him "intimate images." His illegal activities spanned from 2015 to 2020, involving 573 individuals, including victims from Merseyside.
When his residence was searched, authorities found over 2,000 indecent images.
Gomez confessed to grooming a girl on Snapchat over time, which led to him meeting her for sexual abuse; at the time, she was 13 and later 20 years old.
He also shared explicit images of himself and requested sexual photographs from others.
Gomez was convicted of numerous crimes, such as possessing indecent images, blackmail, and grooming.
He was sentenced to six and a half years in prison.
--------------------------- 2025-01-11 06:08: A man named Matthew Gomez, 23, from Crabtree Close, Netherley, was convicted of multiple serious sexual offences related to grooming and abusing young girls.
The court heard that Gomez, then aged 20, targeted two 13-year-old girls on Snapchat, where he falsely presented himself as 16.
He sent them disturbing images of himself and solicited explicit photos in return.
Liverpool Crown Court was informed that Gomez secretly recorded images of the children.
His misconduct escalated when he traveled to Widnes to meet one of the girls, during which he filmed her performing a sex act on him.
When she asked him to stop because he was hurting her, Gomez called her a "d***head" and revealed he had recorded her.
One notable aspect of Snapchat is that images and messages are typically only temporarily available before being deleted.
However, Gomez utilized an iPad to record and keep indecent images and videos sent to him on his mobile phone by five girls from Merseyside and Cheshire.
Prosecutor Steven Swift stated that among these was a girl as young as eight, shown dancing with her sister in a bedroom.
Gomez admitted to three counts of possessing indecent images, including Category A files—the most serious category—though he claimed he did not believe the girls were under 16.
He maintained this stance during sentencing, but Judge Denis Watson, QC, explained that a trial on this issue was unnecessary because Gomez’s prior convictions for more serious offences made it irrelevant to his sentencing.
In December, Gomez had been convicted at trial of even graver charges.
These included five sexual offences involving a 13-year-old girl and two offences involving another girl of the same age in 2017.
Although the girls said they told Gomez they were 13 and he claimed to be 16, Gomez denied any deception or knowledge of their true ages.
His convictions included causing a child to watch a sexual act after sending a photo of himself masturbating and encouraging a girl to send a nude photo, which she did.
He was also convicted of meeting a child following grooming, traveling to Widnes and going into woods with her.
Additional convictions involved sexual activity with a child, including the girl performing a sex act on him and him persistently requesting sex, as well as touching her with his penis.
Defense lawyer David Birrell stated that Gomez, who was described as of good character prior to these offences, continued to deny his guilt after the trial.
Birrell noted, "Your honour will have seen from the pre-sentence report that he continues to deny the offences, but he does respect the jury's verdicts and he put that in his letter to your honour." Birrell also highlighted Gomez's young age during the offending period, citing a medical report indicating he was significantly less developed physically and emotionally due to a brain tumor.
He added, "It appears that his significant health issues, the brain tumour, stunted both his physical and emotional development.
Certainly the author of the pre-sentence report points to his immaturity as one of the reasons, certainly not the only reason, but one of the reasons for the offending." He further mentioned that Gomez was willing to engage in work related to his rehabilitation, had some qualifications, and came from a supportive family, with his parents present in court.
Judge Watson expressed that Gomez had shown a sexual interest in younger girls and was aware, through Snapchat’s popularity among teenagers, that some girls would flirt sexually and meet with him.
The judge noted Gomez’s skill in using a secondary device to film and store images of the girls.
The judge described the offences as involving "elements of planning, grooming, targeting and persistence".
Addressing the first victim, taken to the woods, he remarked, "These are events that she will never forget." He also referenced a medical report stating that Gomez’s health issues affected his self-confidence, which was a factor in his attraction to younger girls.
Concluding, Judge Watson said, "You appear to have accepted the jury's verdict.
Quite how that sits with you contesting and continuing to contest the correctness of the verdicts in the pre-sentence report is a difficult one, but it does suggest to me that you're willing to address your behaviours." Gomez was sentenced to six and a half years in prison, with an indefinite restraining order to protect his victims.
Additionally, he was ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register and comply with a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for an indefinite period.
