A Weymouth man has been jailed for grooming offences involving a 14-year-old girl.
Matthew Lucas Cheshire, aged 21 and of Ranelagh Road, was sentenced at Bournemouth Crown Court on Friday 18 December 2020 after admitting three offences of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and a charge of sexual activity with a child.
He was sentenced to a total of four years and two months in prison with an extended licence period of a further two years. The defendant was also made subject to a sexual harm prevention order for a period of 10 years.
Cheshire – who was 20 at the time – was first arrested by officers from Dorset Police on Thursday 6 August 2020 following a report from a third party that he had been involved in a sexual relationship with a 14-year-old girl who he had contacted over social media.
When he was interviewed, the defendant admitted he knew the girl in question and had been in contact with her over social media but denied any sexual contact or communication.
Cheshire was released on police bail and his phone was seized for examination. It revealed messages exchanged between the defendant and the 14-year-old girl involving sexualised content and there were references to sexual activity that had taken place between them.
He was further arrested on Thursday 10 September 2020 following reports that he had been seen with the girl, in breach of his bail conditions. It was also found that Cheshire had continued to message the girl in a further breach of the terms of his bail.
Detective Constable Andy Hale, of Dorset Police’s Child Exploitation Team, said: “Matthew Cheshire groomed his young victim over social media and engaged in a sexual relationship with her, despite knowing her age.
“Even when he was arrested and given bail conditions not to contact her, he continued to message the girl and meet up with her.
“Cheshire has received a significant sentence for his offending and the victim has been safeguarded as a result of a detailed investigation.
“I hope this will encourage anyone else who is the victim of this type of offending to come forward in the knowledge that action will be taken and offenders will be prosecuted.”
Useful contact numbers and websites for those with concerns relating to child exploitation or grooming:
• Dorset Police: call 101. Always dial 999 if an emergency.
• Local Authority Children’s Social Care:
BCP Council: 01202 735046
Dorset Council: 01305 228866
• NSPCC: 0808 800 5000, [email protected]
• ChildLine (for children and young people to call): 0800 11 11
• Child Exploitation and Online Protection (CEOP) Centre. www.ceop.police.uk
• CEOP resources suitable for parents and children of different ages: www.thinkuknow.co.uk
• For adults who are concerned about their behaviour: 0808 1000 900 www.stopitnow.org.uk
PLEASE SUPPORT US FOR JUST £2 A MONTH
