MAN SENTENCED TO NEARLY FOUR YEARS FOR ONLINE GROOMING
A man from Trafford has been sentenced to more than three years in prison for online grooming offences.On Thursday, 17 December 2020, at Minshull Street Crown Court, Paul Hillier (born 01/03/1967) of Mersey Road, Sale received a sentence of three years and 10 months after pleading guilty to multiple child sex offences.
These included inciting a child under 16 to engage in sexual activity, engaging in sexual communication with a child, causing a child under 16 to watch a sexual act, attempting sexual communication with a child, attempting to cause a child to watch a sexual act, and attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity.
In September 2018, authorities received a report that Hillier had been sending sexually explicit messages and images to a girl he believed to be 12 years old online.
An investigation was initiated, and Hillier was arrested and released under investigation while his mobile devices were examined.
During this period, GMP received two additional reports in July 2020 that Hillier had been engaging in further explicit online conversations with two girls he believed to be 13 and 14 years old.
All three messaging accounts were confirmed to be decoys.
Hillier was subsequently re-arrested and charged with six counts of child sex offences.
Detective Constable Emma Cyprien of GMP’s Trafford District commented: "Hillier willingly engaged with these accounts to satisfy his own sexual perversion, even after they declared to him that they were underage.
Fortunately, the accounts were decoys, but had these been real children, Hillier could have caused serious and lasting harm." The police welcomed the sentence, emphasizing that Hillier now has time to reflect on his harmful behaviour.
They stated that online grooming and child exploitation remain top priorities for GMP, encouraging victims or those aware of such activities to report them.
Authorities also highlighted the support services available for victims of sexual abuse, including the Greater Manchester Rape Crisis, St Mary's Sexual Assault Referral Centre, and Survivors Manchester.
