RICKY MCGOVERN OF BRIGHTLINGSEA JAILED FOR SEXUAL ABUSE AND ABDUCTION OF SCHOOLGIRL IN SUFFOLK

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Brightlingsea and the wider Suffolk area, Ricky McGovern has been sentenced to nine years in prison after being found guilty of abducting a teenage girl and engaging in multiple sexual acts with her. The incident unfolded earlier this year when McGovern, who had been grooming the girl online, lured her from Suffolk to his residence in Waterside Marina, Brightlingsea.

McGovern, who initially communicated with the underage girl through the Kik messaging platform, used a false profile featuring a picture of the comic hero Deadpool instead of his own face. Over the course of their online interactions, he convinced her to meet him in person on three separate occasions, culminating in her being taken to his home. The police later discovered the victim in his bedroom after she had gone missing from Suffolk earlier in the year.

During her stay at McGovern’s house, the victim was subjected to six sexual encounters, with McGovern forcing her into these acts. He also took explicit photographs of her, further compounding the severity of his crimes. It was revealed that McGovern had a prior criminal record, having served a 15-month sentence in 2007 for sexual activity with an underage girl, possession of indecent images of minors, and accumulating more than 2,000 indecent images.

Richard Potts, a witness who testified in court, described McGovern’s behavior and intentions. He explained that McGovern had met the girl twice before their planned trip to Brightlingsea, and expressed concern over McGovern’s desire to keep her away from his friends. Potts recounted that McGovern wanted to alter her appearance, suggesting she dye her hair, and had ambitions of traveling to Paris or Germany with her, claiming he could provide her with whatever she wanted. These statements underscored the manipulative and predatory nature of McGovern’s actions.

At a previous hearing, McGovern, aged 32 at the time, admitted to multiple charges including abduction, meeting a child following grooming, three counts of sexual activity with a child, taking indecent photographs, and breaching a sexual offences prevention order designed to prevent him from having unsupervised contact with minors or communicating with them online.

The victim initially told police she had only engaged in sexual activity with McGovern once, but later disclosed that the encounters had occurred up to six times. In her victim personal statement, she expressed her emotional turmoil, stating, “When I first met him we really got along. I started to think I was in love. To start with I felt amazing but ever since then I have felt awful and distressed. I get scared whenever I see someone I don’t know or a van I do not recognise. I don’t want him to be out of prison because I am scared he will find me somehow.”

Judge Rupert Overbury sentenced McGovern to nine years in prison, emphasizing the danger he posed to young girls. The judge also ordered an extended license period of five years following his release, reflecting the seriousness of his predatory behavior. In his remarks, Judge Overbury stated, “You are no stranger to committing sexual offences. On this occasion I am perfectly satisfied you joined Kik for the purpose of enticing young girls. Having successfully enticed the victim, you then manipulated her into believing you were someone she could trust. She responded to your false flattery and attention, allowing you to groom her for your own sexual gratification. There was obvious planning by you, and you wanted the abduction to be longer than it was, as you suggested she change her appearance and go abroad. But for the police, there was no end in sight for the abuse.”

Furthermore, McGovern was subjected to a strict restraining order that prohibits him from contacting the victim or approaching her residence. He was also placed under a sexual harm prevention order, which bans him from being around children and from owning any device capable of internet access without police oversight. These measures aim to prevent any future harm and ensure the safety of potential victims in Brightlingsea and beyond.