A FORMER Worcester man has been jailed for six years and four months after he pleaded guilty to a string of sexual offences including eight acts of sexual intercourse with a boy under 16.
Matthew Sargeant from Harrogate was convicted at York Crown Court last Friday (October 5) after admitting 14 offences he committed while he lived in the city.
The 23-year-old pleaded guilty to eight offences of sex with a boy under 16, two offences of attempted sex with a boy under 16, one offence of asking a boy under the age of 13 to engage in a sex act and another of attempting a sex act with a boy under 13-years-old.
Sargeant also pled guilty to two counts of making or having indecent image of a child. He has also been registered as a sex offender and given a 10 year Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
He was initially arrested in June 2016 whilst living in Worcester and officers discovered several media devices which were seized and sent for examination.
Officers discovered evidence related to the offences and following the sentencing, Det Insp Gavin Kinrade from West Mercia Police said: “This was a challenging investigation due to the volume of data and the spread of victims potentially from across the world.
“Sargeant utilised false online profiles to target children in sexual activity online. I hope this result gives a clear warning to other offenders that we are absolutely committed to protecting children from sexual abuse, and bringing those responsible to justice.”
“With many children now owning smart phones and tablets with access to the internet, prevention is key – one of the most important things parents can do to protect their children is to have a conversation with them about the risks.”
If you believe a child is in immediate danger call 999.
Those who believe they are at risk of committing grooming or other sexual offences can visit ‘stop it now’ or visit the confidential helpline on 0808 1000 900.
