ONGIRA MUPOFU FROM MACKWORTH SENTENCED FOR ONLINE SEXUAL ABUSE OF TWO 13-YEAR-OLDS IN DERBY

In a disturbing case that highlights the dangers of online grooming and exploitation, Ongira Mupofu, a 19-year-old man from Mackworth, was sentenced to three years in prison after being convicted of abusing two underage girls through social media. The offences took place when Mupofu was 18 years old, and the case was brought to light following concerns raised by the girls' mothers about their activities on Facebook during January and February of 2013.

According to court proceedings, Mupofu, who has been residing in the UK since 2006 after emigrating from Zimbabwe, engaged in manipulative and predatory behaviour aimed at vulnerable teenagers. The court heard that he had sexual relations with one 13-year-old girl, who was a virgin at the time, and attempted to coerce another girl of the same age into sending him explicit images over the internet.

The first girl, who had been adding friends to her Facebook account, eventually connected with Mupofu, who was among her online contacts. Prosecutor Sarah Slater explained that Mupofu began to ask if they had met in person and started sending flirtatious messages, including calling her “babe” and attaching kisses to his messages. He also inquired about her sexual activity, despite her being under the age of 16. The girl, who claimed to be 14, responded that she had not engaged in sexual activity.

On January 29, the girl sent Mupofu an explicit photograph of herself. In response, he continued to send messages that were inappropriate and sexual in nature. Her mother discovered the exchanged messages and was deeply shocked by the content, prompting her to report the incident to the police.

Further alarm was raised when, on February 24, a second 13-year-old girl was in contact with Mupofu online. The girl’s mother became suspicious after her daughter left the house early the next morning without explanation. When she returned, the teenager admitted to having visited Mupofu’s home. Her mother questioned her about sexual activity, to which she confessed that she had engaged in sexual intercourse with him.

During the trial, Mupofu admitted to two counts of inciting a girl to sexual activity and one count of engaging in sexual activity with a child. His defence lawyer, Laura Finch, acknowledged that Mupofu accepted the seriousness of his actions and recognized the harm caused. She stated that both girls had given their consent to the activities, although the court found the case to be a clear example of exploitation.

Judge Michael Elsom sentenced Mupofu to three years in prison, emphasizing the manipulative nature of his conduct. He remarked, “You manipulated them to carry out your sexual fantasies,” underscoring the gravity of the offences.

Detective Inspector Steve Shaw, who led the investigation, issued a stark warning to young people about the perils of social media platforms like Facebook. He stressed that online interactions can be deceptive and that individuals claiming to be friends may not be who they appear to be, especially when it involves minors and potentially dangerous predators.