ROBERT SUMNER FROM LONGSIGHT CAUGHT IN HORRIFIC FACEBOOK STALKING IN MANCHESTER AND FALLOWFIELD

In May 2016, it was reported that Robert Sumner, a convicted sex offender originally from Longsight, Manchester, has since relocated to the Fallowfield and Moss Side areas of Manchester. Sumner has notably grown his hair long and maintains an active presence on Facebook, operating under a false account to conceal his identity.

The disturbing case dates back to October 2010, when a judge issued a stern warning about the dangers posed by social media platforms like Facebook, especially concerning the safety of young users. This warning came in the wake of a harrowing incident involving Sumner, who had targeted a teenage girl through the social networking site.

According to court proceedings, Sumner, then 26 years old and residing in Longsight, Manchester, initiated contact with the girl by sending her a friend request in January of that year. Despite not knowing him personally, the girl accepted the request because she recognized some of his other online friends, who were also schoolgirls. Sumner, disguising himself as a 15-year-old boy, exploited this trust to establish a connection.

Once connected, Sumner persuaded the girl to share her phone number and disclose her residential area. He then began to bombard her with messages, urging her to meet him at a local cinema. The girl’s mother, who was monitoring her Facebook activity, grew increasingly concerned about the nature of the messages and decided to intervene. She sent an email to Sumner demanding to know his identity and his intentions.

During the court hearing, prosecutor Benjamin Myers described Sumner’s communications as increasingly overbearing and menacing. He sought to locate the girl’s exact whereabouts and even threatened to rape her if she refused to meet him. The court heard that Sumner’s threats and persistent messaging caused significant distress to the young victim.

Judge Iain Hamilton commented on the case, highlighting the role of parental oversight in protecting children online. He noted that the girl’s mother had 'wrongly' allowed her daughter access to Facebook, which contributed to the vulnerability. Despite the severity of the case, the judge decided not to impose a prison sentence on Sumner, citing that he had already served the equivalent of 14 months on remand. Instead, he was given a sentence that reflected his prior detention.

This case underscores the ongoing dangers associated with social media and the importance of safeguarding young people from online predators. It also highlights the need for vigilance among parents and guardians to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.