MICHAEL LINFOOT FROM CHORLEY ESCAPES JAIL AFTER GROOMING TEENAGE GIRL NEAR BOLTON

A man named Michael Linfoot, hailing from Chorley, has avoided immediate imprisonment after being convicted of serious sexual offences involving a 15-year-old girl. The disturbing case unfolded at Rivington, a well-known scenic area on the West Pennine Moors near Bolton, Greater Manchester, where the victim was subjected to grooming and abuse by multiple offenders.

According to reports, the victim was initially contacted online in 2018 by Callum Hesketh, also from Chorley, who asked her to participate in a threesome. The girl, only 15 at the time, declined the proposition. Despite her refusal, Hesketh persisted with his advances, repeatedly messaging and calling her over several weeks. The Manchester Evening News detailed that Hesketh would conduct video calls, during which he demanded the girl pose in various sexual positions while he masturbated, further escalating the abuse.

Police investigations revealed that the offenders drove to Rivington, where they parked their vehicle. During this time, the victim's friend received a phone call and stepped out of the van, leaving the girl alone with the offenders. It was then that Hesketh and Linfoot allegedly began raping the girl. Disturbingly, Hesketh recorded these sexual acts on his mobile phone and shared the footage via a social media broadcast with the caption, 'GANG BANG OUT HERE.'

Further atrocities occurred when three more men arrived on motorbikes. One of these men, identified as Thomas Rae, approached the van and engaged in oral rape of the girl after exposing himself. The assault was described as brutal and deeply traumatic for the victim. After the incident, Hesketh and Linfoot took the girl back to Adlington, where they purchased a bottle of wine before leaving the scene.

In court proceedings at Liverpool Crown Court, all three men—Hesketh, Linfoot, and Rae—pleaded guilty to sexual offences involving the minor. Linfoot, aged 24, admitted to one count of sexual activity with a child under 16 and was sentenced to 11 months in jail, suspended for 12 months. Rae, aged 24, also admitted to similar charges and received an identical suspended sentence. Hesketh, also 24, pleaded guilty to sending sexualized social media messages and creating indecent videos of a child in 2018, resulting in an eight-month jail sentence, suspended for 12 months.

Detective Constable Robert Booth expressed appreciation for the victim’s bravery in coming forward, stating,