A teenage victim showed immense courage in coming forward to report online sex offences that led to the offender being jailed.
In November 2024, a 14-year-old girl began communicating with an unknown person on Snapchat who claimed to be a 17-year-old boy called Joshua.
The boy sent an image of a young male person and claimed it was him and he formed an online relationship with the victim.
The boy was later identified to be 21-year-old Cruz Buckley of Bridport.
Buckley sent indecent videos of himself to the victim and threatened her into performing indecent acts on video calls.
The defendant took screenshots without the victim’s consent and later shared them with her family.
The matter was reported to police and the account used by Buckley was traced to an address in Bridport.
He was arrested in March 2025, and his mobile phone was seized, which was examined and found to contain indecent images and videos of the victim.
Buckley pleaded guilty to engaging in sexual communication with a child, sharing a photograph or film of a person in an intimate state intending to cause alarm, distress or humiliation, making indecent images of a child; blackmail and causing or inciting a girl to engage in sexual activity.
He was sentenced at Bournemouth Crown Court on Friday 3 July 2026 to three years and three months in prison. He was also made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order for 14 years.
Detective Inspector Andy Brix, of the Paedophile Online Investigation Team, said: “Buckley formed a relationship with someone he knew was underage and exploited her to obtain indecent images and videos.
“This type of behaviour is absolutely appalling and has had a significant impact on the victim.
“She has shown immense bravery and courage in coming forward and reporting what happened, and now Buckley is behind bars, unable to prey upon other vulnerable victims.
“I would like to take this opportunity to remind parents of the dangers of online child abuse – speak to your children and make sure they know they can come to you for advice.”
For more information on how to keep children safe online, please visit Online child abuse | Dorset Police.
