A PERVERTED west Cumbrian man is facing a jail sentence after he admitted a catalogue of sickening online child sex offences.
The crimes committed by 32-year-old Cleator Moor man Martin Cole included him ‘plying’ a girl aged 11 or 12 with gifts and money and asking her to perform sex acts on herself and also to send him a video of her doing a striptease.
A prosecuting barrister at Carlisle Crown Court said the behaviour was part of an attempt by Cole to sexually groom his victim.
When he appeared in the dock, the defendant of Greystone Place, Cleator Moor, entered guilty pleas to eight allegations relating to his behaviour in 2020. Those offences were:
- Downloading 1,809 indecent child images class as Category A, the most serious. He did this between January of 2020 and November of that year.
- A similar offence, involving 1,493 Category B indecent child images.
- A similar offence involving 2,489 Category C indecent child images.
- Possessing three extreme and grossly offensive pornographic images involving bestiality.
- Inciting a child – aged 11 or 12 – to engage in sexual activity, which he did between dates in March 2020 and December of that year.
- A like offence, when he asked the same female child to video herself doing a striptease.
- A like offence, when he asked the child to take sexualised pictures of herself.
- And causing a child to watch images of sexual activity.
Prosecutor Peter Barr told the court that police initially began investigating Cole for the indecent images offences but as they examined his online activity the investigation took on a more serious aspect because of what was found.
Defence lawyer Sean Harkin requested that pre-sentence background reports be prepared before the sentence is passed, and he asked the judge to grant Cole bail so that he can put his financial affairs in order before the inevitable jail term.
Judge Guy Mathieson told the defendant: “You have pleaded guilty to a series of offences, which attract an immediate custodial sentence. Having a relationship with an 11 or 12-year-old girl in which you plied her with gifts and money – whether in exchange for or in order to acquire – sexual images of her quite appalling behaviour.
“You will serve a custodial sentence.”
The judge went on to direct that the Crown Prosecution Service provide an explanation of why the case has taken two years to get before the court.
The judge agreed to grant Cole bail but told the defendant, who has no previous convictions: “I take the view that this is extremely serious offending.”
He put Cole on the Sex Offender Register, saying the length of his sentence will determine the period he will be on it.
The defendant will be sentenced on March 3. On that day, the court will hear victim impact statements from the child involved and her mother.
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