A Luton man has been jailed for eight years after he pleaded guilty to 28 offences against several girls aged between 12-15 years old.
Conor Godfrey, 28, of Barton Road, admitted to a number of charges, including engaging in penetrative sexual activity with a child, inciting children to engage in sexual activity and making and distribution of indecent images of children.
Following a two-year investigation by Bedfordshire Police’s Internet Child Abuse Investigation Team (ICAIT), he was sentenced at Luton Crown Court on Thursday, April 28.
The operation came to light following a report from a 13-year-old girl Godfrey had groomed online to perform sexualised acts on herself, using the social media platform Snapchat. Investigations soon identified he was talking to over 2,250 children across the world online, including hundreds in the United Kingdom. Of those possible victims, 33 were traced.
Seven victims provided accounts to police. Godfrey had met one 14-year-old girl on multiple occasions and performed sexual acts on her.
Godfrey, who was aged between 21 and 27 when the offences took place, posed as a 16–18-year-old online to groom and gain vulnerable victims’ trust.
In May 2020, officers arrested Godfrey and subsequently seized several electronic devices. On the devices were records of multiple sexual conversations with young girls where he recorded his interactions with them, which he would later use to threaten them.
Investigators also found he had accessed other indecent images of children on the internet, as well as having indecent material of the victims.
Godfrey was sentenced to a total of eight years in prison with a four-year extended sentence on licence. He was deemed a dangerous offender and will be subject to sexual harm prevention order for an indefinite period.
Investigation Officer Emma Shipton, who led the operation, said: “We welcome the sentence given to Godfrey, especially as he has no previous criminal background.
“He clearly poses a danger to young girls both online and offline and I hope this result sends a clear message that such activity is taken extremely seriously, and perpetrators will face the consequences for their disturbing and vile behaviour.
“I would especially like to thank the victims and their families for their support in bringing this abhorrent man to justice. Without their bravery this would have not been possible.”
If you are worried about the safety of a child online or have concerns that someone you know may be committing sexual offences against children or making or distributing explicit materials of children online, please report it to police via 101 or online. In an emergency, always call 999.
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