LITTLE LEVER SEX OFFENDER STEVEN CHEETHAM TARGETS YOUNG GIRLS AND DISTRIBUTES CHILD PORNOGRAPHY

In June 2022, Steven Cheetham, a 45-year-old man from Little Lever, became the focus of a serious criminal investigation after allegations emerged regarding his disturbing online activities. Cheetham was found to have repeatedly attempted to contact young girls through social media platforms, specifically Kik Messenger, where he engaged in conversations that quickly turned sexual in nature.

Over a span of several months, from March to November 2019, Cheetham, who used the username ‘Dafty,’ reached out to a total of 11 different accounts, all of which he believed belonged to teenage girls as young as 12 years old. His communications were characterized by inappropriate and explicit content, with Cheetham openly revealing his age and making sexual remarks. His actions demonstrated a clear pattern of predatory behavior aimed at minors.

Further investigations revealed that Cheetham had collected and possessed extreme pornographic images involving children. He did not limit himself to mere possession; he also actively distributed these vile images to other users on Kik Messenger. The police uncovered that Cheetham had sent four images classified as Category B and three as Category A to different recipients, highlighting the severity of his offenses.

When authorities arrested Cheetham at his residence on Melrose Road, Little Lever, he initially attempted to deny any wrongdoing, claiming that his account had been hacked. He also denied having any sexual interest in children. However, during the course of the investigation, it was established that Cheetham had engaged in attempted sexual communication with minors. He ultimately pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including attempting to engage in sexual communication with children, possessing indecent images of children, distributing such images, and possessing extreme pornographic material.

One of the victims, a 13-year-old girl named Becky, was actually a police decoy. Cheetham believed he was communicating with a real young girl, but in reality, he was speaking to an undercover officer. The court was informed that it remains uncertain whether the other ten profiles he interacted with were genuine minors or not.

Prosecutor Niamh McGinty detailed how Cheetham’s online interactions with Becky began in April 2019. He introduced himself as a 42-year-old man from the Oldham area and claimed Becky was a 13-year-old girl. Over the following six weeks, Cheetham maintained frequent contact, making increasingly inappropriate remarks. He sent her profile pictures of himself and made comments about their age difference, suggesting he was “old and young at heart” and claiming he was still energetic enough to chase her.

The conversations grew more sexual, with Cheetham describing sexual acts he would perform on her. He even suggested he would pick her up and take her to see a performance at the church hall theatre where he was employed. When Becky mentioned her father was coming to pick her up from school, Cheetham asked her to wear her school skirt and jokingly referred to himself as her “special dad.”

Police traced Cheetham’s IP address to his home, leading to his arrest on November 9, 2019. A search of his devices, including his iPad and iPhone, uncovered a disturbing collection of images and conversations. Hidden within his phone’s storage were 16 Category A images, eight Category B images, 23 Category C images, and four extreme pornographic images involving children. Additionally, Cheetham had sent four Category B images to one individual and three Category A images to another via Kik Messenger.

Judge Tom Gilbart sentenced Cheetham to two years and two months in prison, emphasizing the gravity of his crimes. The judge described the possession and distribution of indecent images as “utterly repellent,” especially given that they involved vulnerable children being exploited for sexual gratification. He condemned Cheetham’s actions as abhorrent, noting that he not only possessed these images but actively took steps to distribute some of the most serious category images.

Overall, the case highlights the dangers posed by online predators and the importance of vigilance in protecting minors from exploitation and abuse. Cheetham’s behavior, as detailed in court, underscores the need for strict enforcement of laws against child exploitation and the severe consequences faced by those who commit such heinous acts.