MICHAEL SCOTT FROM BLYTH SENTENCED FOR GROOMING 12-YEAR-OLD GIRL IN NEWCASTLE

In March 2018, a disturbing case of child sexual exploitation came to light involving Michael Scott, a 26-year-old man from Blyth. Scott was found guilty of grooming and abusing a 12-year-old girl, actions that have led to his imprisonment and a lengthy sex offender registration requirement.

Scott, who worked as a care assistant, initiated contact with the young girl through the Yubo social media platform, which was formerly known as Yellow. The communication then escalated from online messaging to Snapchat and eventually to text messages, during which Scott adopted a false identity. He pretended to be a 13-year-old boy named Kyle, using an innocent-looking child's image as his profile picture to lure the victim.

Using this fabricated persona, Scott manipulated the girl into sending him indecent images of herself. He employed threats and coercion to ensure her silence, warning her to keep their conversations secret. This pattern of grooming was carefully orchestrated to exploit the child's vulnerability and trust.

The victim's father grew increasingly suspicious of her secretive behavior, especially when he noticed her being evasive and secretive about her phone usage. Concerned, he decided to review her messages and was horrified to discover that Scott had been sexually grooming his daughter. As he read through the exchanged messages, he learned that Scott was just 24 hours away from meeting the girl in Blaydon, an area near Newcastle, for what was intended to be an arranged encounter.

Realizing the imminent danger, the father immediately contacted the police. Law enforcement officers responded swiftly, arresting Scott at his home in Blyth later that night. The investigation confirmed the grooming and the intent to meet for sexual purposes, leading to Scott's conviction.

At Newcastle Crown Court, Scott pleaded guilty to charges of causing or inciting a child under 13 into sexual activity. The judge sentenced him to 30 months in prison. Additionally, Scott was ordered to sign the sex offenders register for a period of 10 years, ensuring ongoing monitoring and restrictions to protect the community from further harm.