KEMPSTON MAN JAILED FOR ONLINE GROOMING OF TEENAGE GIRL
A man from Kempston has been sentenced to three years in prison after he was convicted of grooming a teenage girl and persuading her to send him indecent images of herself over a period of weeks.Richard Downing, aged 41, of Hastings Road, initially contacted the victim by email, pretending to be a peer around her age.
He then groomed her by establishing a simulated online relationship, manipulating her into believing they were in a romantic connection so that she would continue to send him provocative images.
Over the course of about a month, Downing repeatedly asked her to send indecent images, leveraging the trust that was built during their online interactions.
The police arrested Downing in April 2017 after the victim’s mother spotted some of the messages and reported his behavior.
Following the arrest, police seized the victim’s phone and traced the email addresses used back to Downing.
He pleaded guilty to one count of causing or inciting the sexual exploitation of a child and four counts of possessing indecent images or pseudo-photographs of a child.
On 19 March, he received a three-year custodial sentence at Luton Crown Court, along with a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order which imposes conditions he must follow after his release.
Nicky Owen, Investigation Officer from Bedfordshire Police’s Internet Child Abuse Investigation team, expressed satisfaction with the sentence, stating, “I am pleased that Downing has received a custodial sentence and will spend the next three years behind bars so he isn’t a danger to other young girls.
He deliberately targeted this young girl by pretending to be the same age as her, grooming her into believing they were in a relationship, and persuaded her to send provocative photos of herself.
We are committed to investigating these heinous sexual predators who think it is acceptable to sexually groom children online.
I want to emphasize that any child can be a victim of grooming, regardless of their age, sex, ethnicity, or background.
If you suspect that grooming is happening to someone you know, it’s vital to speak out and seek help.
The signs of grooming are often hidden, but they may include secretive online behavior, having older romantic partners, visiting unusual places to meet acquaintances, having new possessions like clothes or phones that cannot be explained, or access to drugs or alcohol.
For more information on grooming and child sexual exploitation, visit www.bedfordshireagainstcse.org or the NSPCC website.
If you are worried about potential child abuse, call the police on 101 or 999 if immediate danger exists.
