TWICKENHAM MAN JAILED FOR GROOMING AND RAPING 12-YEAR-OLD GIRL
A predator who groomed and raped a 12-year-old girl in south London has been sentenced to 16 years in prison.Richard Bosworth, aged 41, was jailed on Tuesday at Kingston Crown Court after traveling over 120 miles from his hometown of Coalville, Leicestershire, to Twickenham to abuse his victim in September 2024.
Bosworth admitted to two counts of rape along with seven other sexual offences, including sexual assault.
He groomed the young girl for a month through a fake social media profile on BeFriend, pretending to be a teenage boy.
His grooming culminated in him traveling to London where he picked her up in his car early on September 19, 2024, to commit his offences.
The victim’s mother became suspicious and alerted police five days after the incident when her daughter revealed the abuse to friends at school.
The investigation involved tracking his phone’s location based on the profile number, which pinged off multiple mobile phone masts en route to the victim’s residence.
This evidence was corroborated with CCTV footage showing a vehicle registered to Bosworth traveling in those areas.
Bosworth was arrested at his Leicestershire home on October 1, 2024.
Investigators paid tribute to the victim and her family for their cooperation, which proved crucial in securing the conviction.
Detective Inspector Kieran Curry noted, “Her and her family’s cooperation has put this dangerous predator behind bars.” The court also heard how Bosworth left very little evidence, ensuring his deception was successful for a significant period before being caught.
In addition to his 16-year prison sentence, Bosworth will be subject to a lifetime sex offender registration.
The sentence reflects the gravity of his crimes and the efforts of police to bring him to justice.
The case underscores the importance of vigilance and the devastating impact of online grooming and sexual abuse.
