Matthew Cheshire 35

Description

A paedophile sent disgusting videos and messages to a 13-year-old girl and threatened to disclose naked images of her if she did not send him more. He was also speaking to an undercover police officer posing as a 12-year-old girl.

Matthew Cheshire, 35, of Bridgend, was arrested by police at his home on October 5 last year where a number of electronic devices were seized and examined. The defendant had been in contact with who he thought was a 12-year-old girl, but was in fact a decoy account run by a police officer.

A sentencing hearing at Newport Crown Court on Thursday heard the exchanges between Cheshire and the decoy began with him trying to build a rapport with her, by asking about her school, if she had kissed anyone or gone further than kissing. He went on to say he could give the decoy tips about masturbating and offered to pick her up from school, as well as sending photos of himself smiling.

Following an examination of the defendant's phone, prosecutor Matthew Cobbe said it was discovered he had also been talking to a real 13-year-old girl. The conversation between Cheshire and the child was extremely sexualised and graphic on his part, with him talking about having sex with her.

He asked the teenager for videos and photos of herself, and she sent images exposing herself and a video of herself performing a sex act, which Cheshire had instructed her to do. He sent videos of himself masturbating.

The child was tracked down and she gave an interview to the police, during which she explained she had been speaking to the defendant for around a month on social media. She said the sexualised messages made her feel "weird and gross". She also said Cheshire had threatened to disclose naked images of her if she did not send him further images.

Cheshire, of Vale View, Sarn, later pleaded guilty to causing a child to engage in sexual activity, engaging in sexual communication with a child, causing a child to look at an image of sexual activity, possession of indecent images, attempting to cause a child to engage in sexual activity and attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child. The court heard he was of previous good character.

In mitigation, Ruth Smith said her client was unable to explain his offending, but had vowed he would never appear in front of a court again. She said the defendant had been in a relationship with his wife for 15 years and has a son, but the impact of his offending has been "devastating" on his family.

Sentencing, Judge Daniel Williams said: "You engaged in the vilest of sexual communications with (your victim) which involved graphic descriptions about the two of you having sex."

Cheshire was sentenced to four years and three months imprisonment. He was made subject to sex offender notification requirements indefinitely, a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for 10 years and a restraining order for 10 years.

Following the hearing, detective constable Laura Davies from South Wales Polices Online Investigation Team (POLIT) said: Matthew Cheshire demonstrated predatory and manipulative behaviour when grooming who he believed to be 12-year-old child.

POLIT and the Digital Forensic Unit carried out the investigation and further sexual communication with another child was revealed and she was safeguarded from further exploitative behaviour from Cheshire. The work carried out by South Wales Police helped to ensure that children are protected online from the risk Cheshire posed to them. Such was the strength of evidence gathered that Cheshire entered guilty pleas to the charges brought against him.

Tarian case officer DC Isaac Gott said: This man believed he was communicating with a 12-year-old child between August and October 2023. The communication turned sexual and it was clear that the defendant had a sexual interest in the child. He formed a close friendship and used this as a platform for grooming, talking about Disney films and told the child that she was pretty.

"Developing a friendship with a child before introducing sexual elements into the conversation is a classic tactic that is commonly observed by sex offenders. As a result of a proactive investigation by Tarian, the Regional Organised Crime Unit for southern Wales, the defendant was identified. I cannot over-emphasise the fantastic work conducted by South Wales Polices Online Investigation Team which conducted a thorough investigation into offences and subsequently identified a further victim of online child sexual abuse. The defendant incited this child to carry out penetrative sexual acts.

"In this case the defendant was completely unknown to law enforcement agencies and I am certain had the defendant not been identified by Tarian, he would have continued to commit offences against children and leave vulnerable children open to sexual exploitation. Anyone with any concerns over a childs safety or welfare should contact the police. Tarian ROCU will continue to work with partner agencies and relentlessly pursue those who have a sexual interest in children.