Harris Proctor 23

Description

The mother of a girl targeted by a sexual predator has thanked our specialist officers after her abuser was jailed.

Twenty one year-old Harris Proctor was jailed for ten years, six custodial with a further four on licence at Chelmsford Crown Court on 12 April after admitting a string of offences.

Proctor, registered sex offender, had been in contact with an 11 year-old girl and engaged her in sexual conversation including about performing sexual acts.

When he was arrested in November 2019 his laptop was searched and officers found indecent images on there.

The offences had come to light following a previous conviction for child sexual offences where he had engaged in sexual conversations with two underage girls online and had also been found in possession of indecent images of children.

Further investigations after his second arrest established he had been back in contact with young girls following his earlier conviction, breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order he had been made subject to.

Proctor, of Townfield Street, Chelmsford, was later charged with inciting child sexual activity, two counts of making indecent image of a child, 10 counts of breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, and failing to comply with the notification requirements of the Sexual Offenders Register.

He pleaded guilty and was convicted at Chelmsford Crown Court on Tuesday 12 April and sentenced on the same day.

Following the sentencing hearing, the 11 year-olds mother said:

This crime really has affected my daughter and our family.

The impact it has had on her personally and socially has been very difficult to see, I can only hope she starts to recover now she knows he is in prison and she is safe.

The police have been brilliant throughout the investigation and the support we as a family have received has been very good, allowing us to have the confidence to continue to court.

I really want to reach out to other parents and children, if they find themselves in this situation please do make police aware.

If we do not make the police aware of these individuals out there targeting our young children then they will not be apprehended and will continue to harm more children.

The police worked hard and made sure we were supported at every step of the way.

I am now going to concentrate on my daughter with her road to recovery and hope that she can start to get back to the beautiful little girl we knew before all this happened.

I know that due to my daughters bravery, it has meant that this criminal will now be in prison away from hurting any more children in society.

Investigating officer Detective Sergeant Harriet Ware, said:

Harris Proctor is a dangerous individual who preyed on young girls for his own sexual gratification. DC Carole Currey and I worked hard to ensure all offences were manged together for the same court hearing.

This crime has affected the victim greatly. At the age of 11 she has lost all confidence about being in public, has had to receive counselling and no longer attends school through fear of being in groups and being around other boys, she feels unsafe.

This crime has also had a big impact on me, the images I have had to look at due to this defendant and what was found on his device was harrowing and something I unfortunately cannot unsee.

To see how the crime has impacted the poor little 11 year old girl and the family has been saddening. His crimes have effected many young girls and their families who have been very brave to work with the police relaying evidence for the court proceedings

Proctor is a danger to children in the community and I am satisfied with the sentence layed upon him, I know that the public will be safe for the time he is in prison.