RICHARD CULLUM OF WEYMOUTH SENTENCED FOR PREDATORY BEHAVIOR AND ONLINE GROOMING OF UNDERAGE GIRLS
In September 2022, Richard Cullum, a man with a troubling history of sexual offenses, was once again brought before the courts in Weymouth, facing serious charges related to his manipulative and predatory conduct towards young girls.The proceedings revealed a disturbing pattern of behavior involving the use of digital deception to contact and groom minors, raising significant concerns about his ongoing threat to children in the area.
Cullum, aged 41 and residing on Buxton Road in Weymouth, had previously been convicted of sexual offenses and was under a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) issued on October 29, 2018.
Despite this, he continued to engage in illegal online activities, which culminated in his appearance at Bournemouth Crown Court on September 16, 2022, where he pleaded guilty to multiple breaches of the court order.
The court sentenced him to four years in prison, with the possibility of early release after serving two years on license, though he remains under strict supervision.
The case centered around Cullum’s use of a fake online identity to contact four girls aged between seven and ten.
Prosecutor Robert Harding detailed how Cullum employed his iPad to communicate with these minors between April 1, 2021, and June 25, 2021.
He posed as a 13-year-old girl named Rosie, attempting to establish a false sense of friendship and trust with the young victims.
Harding read extracts of the messages sent by Cullum, which included disturbing comments such as, “Does your mum know about me yet?
She doesn’t know I send you photos though lol,” and “Remember I’m here for you anytime.
I wish we could call.” Other messages expressed concern for the girls’ well-being, with Cullum saying, “I hope you’re not in trouble and your mum is not annoyed with you.
Tell me if she is because I don’t want you to get into more trouble,” and even suggesting a desire to meet in person someday, saying, “I hope we can meet one day like bffs.” Although no indecent images were exchanged, the content of these messages was deemed “very worrying” by the prosecution.
Additionally, Cullum claimed to have purchased gifts for the girls, including an Apple Watch, further demonstrating his manipulative tactics.
The court also uncovered that Cullum had researched the girls’ school addresses and created TikTok accounts for two of them, actions that indicated a calculated effort to deepen his online engagement and potentially facilitate further harm.
Prosecutors emphasized that these breaches were “clearly, in one mind, a precursor to an assault or assaults being committed,” highlighting the serious risk posed to the victims.
The breaches were characterized as “very serious,” with the potential for significant harm.
Defense counsel argued that the prosecution’s claims were exaggerated, suggesting Cullum was merely engaging in a fantasy of being a young girl among peers.
However, the judge, His Honour William Mousley KC, described Cullum’s behavior as “grooming behavior with a view to what might be achieved down the line,” underscoring the dangerous nature of his actions.
It was also revealed that Cullum had a lengthy criminal history dating back to 2013, including multiple convictions for sexual assault against children, possession of indecent images, and breaches of previous sexual harm prevention orders.
Despite being under a SHPO since 2018 and released from prison in March 2020, he continued to pose a significant threat.
A probation officer expressed concern about an email account linked to Cullum, and police investigations uncovered extensive conversations between Cullum and the young girls on his devices.
Pre-sentencing reports painted a grim picture of Cullum’s entrenched and predatory behavior, describing him as manipulative and dangerous.
The judge acknowledged the seriousness of his breaches, which appeared to be grooming behavior aimed at future exploitation.
Despite the defense’s plea for a suspended sentence, citing Cullum’s efforts to address his behavior, the court sentenced him to four years in prison, with a two-year period on license, during which he could be recalled to serve the remainder of his sentence if necessary.
Earlier in August 2022, Cullum had pleaded guilty to breaching his sexual harm prevention order at Weymouth Magistrates Court.
He admitted to creating a false identity on his iPad to contact four girls under ten and engaging in “a number of breaches” over a period of time.
Prosecutors described his conduct as “very serious offences,” involving “considerable conversation” and the creation of TikTok accounts for two victims.
Cullum’s persistent breaches and attempts to conceal his online activities underscored his ongoing risk to children in Weymouth.
In a prior incident from September 2017, Cullum, then aged 36, was sentenced to five months in prison after he was found to have violated a sexual offences prevention order by befriending a mother and taking her young daughters on unsupervised outings.
These outings included trips to theme parks, arcades, and cinemas, despite his restrictions.
The court heard that Cullum had previously been found in possession of indecent images of children and was considered a high-risk offender.
His actions during this period demonstrated a pattern of manipulative and dangerous behavior, raising ongoing concerns about his suitability to be around children in any capacity.
