Locations
Colne Chase, Witham, Essex, CM8
Description
A fast-paced and complex investigation by specialist officers safeguarded a vulnerable child and ensured a dangerous offender is now behind bars.
At Chelmsford Crown Court on Thursday 29 May Chace Wiseman was sentenced to 10 years in prison for numerous child sexual offences.
On New Year’s Eve in 2024 Essex Police received a referral from the National Crime Agency.
Officers from our Police Online Investigation Team (POLIT) made urgent enquiries, with one of the team tracking key evidence online which directly linked the Essex suspect to indecent images of children.
Further interrogation of the images and videos led the officers to believe the 18-year-old suspect was in fact the person carrying out the horrific abuse.
They arrested Wiseman at his Witham home on Friday 3 January and during a subsequent search of the address seven electronic devices were seized.
When one of his devices was accessed, officers discovered a large quantity of distressing videos and images which showed sexual assault and rape of a child.
This evidence was put to Wiseman during interview, but he remained silent and refused to answer any questions.
Following irrefutable evidence gathered by the investigative team the CPS authorised them to charge Wiseman with 12 offences.
Guilty pleas
When he appeared at Chelmsford Crown Court on Tuesday 25 March, Wiseman, of Colne Chase, pleaded guilty to all 12 offences:
- 2 counts of rape of a child under the age of 13
- Assault of a child under the age of 13 by touching
- Assault a child under the age of 13 by penetration
- 3 counts of taking indecent photos of a child (6 x Cat A) (48 x Cat B) (75 x cat C)
- 3 counts of making indecent photographs of a child (44 x Cat A) (43 x Cat B) (93 x Cat C)
- Possession of prohibited images of a child (287 images)
- Possession of extreme pornography (20 images)
Sentenced
At the hearing he was sentenced to 16 and a half years extended sentence for the first two offences, to be served concurrently. Ten and half years to be served in custody with an extended licence period of six years.
For the further 10 offences he received custodial sentences ranging from three years to six weeks, all to run concurrently.
He was placed on the sex offenders register and is subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and a Restraining Order.