Oldham man jailed after grooming young girl

An Oldham man has been jailed after grooming a child in Hyde.

Thomas Johnstone, 23, of Walter Mills Way in Oldham, was sentenced yesterday (4 May 2021) at Manchester Crown Court after pleading guilty to meeting a child following sexual grooming with the intention of engaging in penetrative sexual activity and causing and inciting a child to engage in non-penetrative sexual activity.

He was given 28 months in prison and a Sexual Harm Prevention Order has been imposed. He will also be required to sign the Sex Offender’s Register for a period of 10 years.

The court heard how the grooming began online in March 2020 where the conversations were sexual from the very beginning.

Knowing that she was only a teenager, he continued to pursue a relationship and agreed to meet her on numerous occasions in Hyde. It was during these meetings that he engaged in sexual activity with the girl.

Following a report to the police, officers arrested Johnstone while he was accompanied by the victim, with his mobile phone and clothes being seized. After an investigation the conversations he had been having with the girl were uncovered by detectives.

Detective Constable Pavitt of the GMP's Phoenix Tameside CSE Team said: "Child Sexual Exploitation takes place in many forms and we are committed to ensuring those guilty of such heinous crimes face justice. In this case the defendant commenced a sexual relationship with the victim, knowing full well that she was a school child in her early teens. He gained the victims trust and exploited that for his own sexual desires.

"I would like to thank the victim and her family for having the courage to speak about these matters to the Police and I hope this result has provided her with some justice when coming to terms with what she has experienced because of the defendant’s actions.

"If you are the victim of or are concerned someone you know is the victim of child sexual exploitation then I urge you to make contact with police. You report will be managed with the utmost respect and sensitivity and there are also a range of specialist support services available.”

Anyone with information should contact police on 0161 856 5880. Reports can also be made, anonymously, via the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.