Locations
Willington, Derbyshire, DL15
Description
A Derbyshire man who used social media to blackmail children as young as 10 into sending him indecent images of themselves has been sentenced.
National Crime Agency officers arrested Grant Derek Giblin of Willington, Derbyshire – after an investigation found he had been using social media apps to contact children between November 2021 and August 2023.
The 29-year-old would target the children, aged between ten and 16, and befriend them to gain their trust and encourage them to send him images of themselves.
Once he had received these, Giblin would blackmail his victims into performing sexual acts on themselves before again sending the content to him.
He was arrested by NCA officers in January 2024 and charged with offences including engaging in sexual communications with a child under 13 and causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.
Giblin pleaded guilty to all offences at Derby Crown Court in July 2024. He was sentenced to eight years in prison at the same court today (Wednesday, October 23). Giblin will have an extended licence period of a further eight years, be the subject of an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order and be on the sex offenders register for life.