Paul Black 36

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Paul Black, of Wordsworth Crescent, met the girls after adding one of them on Snapchat – a social media app – in January 2026.

The 36-year-old then groomed one of them by asking if they wanted to make money through sexual intercourse.

Over a period of three months between March and July Black met the girl and then her friend where he raped and sexually assaulted them in his car.

On Tuesday 3 November Black appeared at Teesside Crown Court and was sentenced to 15 years with three on extended licence, an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order, on the sex offenders register for life and a 10 year restraining order after pleading guilty to 28 offences including:

• Three counts of making indecent photographs of children
• Eight counts of rape
• Four counts of sexual assault
• Four counts of paying for sexual services of a child
• Five counts of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity
• Two counts of meeting a child following sexual grooming
• Engage in sexual communication with a child
• Assault by penetration

During the hearing, the court heard how Black drove from his home in Gateshead to meet the girls in various areas of Teesside for up to an hour each time.

After sexually assaulting and raping the girls, he would give them each up to £60 to £100 in cash each time.

It came to police’s attention when one of the girls was found to be in possession of a large amount of money. She confided to an adult who then reported it to officers.

Despite providing a different name to the girls and using a pseudo one on Snapchat, he was identified by officers and arrested.

Following questioning in custody, he was subsequently charged.

Detective Constable Sean Hobbs, from Cleveland Police’s Protecting Vulnerable People team, said:

“Black is a predator who has used Snapchat to groom young girls solely for his own sexual gratification.

“He would entice the children to meet him by promising to give them large amounts of money. He then abused them sexually through demanding threats and violence causing fear.

“It has understandably been distressing for the girls to relive what Black had done to them, but they have shown such courage in opening up to an adult and then to officers.

“This has gone a long way to ensure Black has no choice but to admit to what he has done and secured a prison sentence.

“I hope it provides some reassurance that they were both listened to, supported and that Black has now been held accountable for his actions.”