A man, Samuel Gorton Wisbech Paedophile, has been sentenced to 12 years in prison after being convicted of raping two juvenile girls, having deceived them into believing he was younger than his actual age over social media.
Samuel Gorton, 20, of Leverington, Wisbech, was sentenced for three charges of rape involving two adolescent girls, one from Cambridgeshire and the other from Norfolk, during his appearance at Norwich Crown Court today (7 March).
He has received a 12-year jail sentence and is mandated to serve eight years on extended licence. Gorton received a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for 30 years, a restraining order until further notice, and will be permanently listed on the Sex Offender Register.
Samuel Gorton, who had initially entered a plea of not guilty, was subsequently convicted of the rape offences by a jury following a three-week trial at Norwich Crown Court.
The court was informed that Samuel Gorton exploited teenage victims via Snapchat, misleading them into thinking he was younger than his actual age, and subsequently devised a method to arrange in-person meetings with them.
Notwithstanding the utilisation of a fraudulent Snapchat account and the provision of a fictitious identity to his second victim, Norfolk Constabulary collaborated with Cambridge Constabulary to identify and locate Gorton, who has been incarcerated on remand since his arrest on 15 May 2024 in the King’s Lynn vicinity.
Detective Constable Paul McCormack who led the Norfolk investigation, said: “Samuel Gorton is a dangerous individual who took advantage of two vulnerable young victims. I commend their courage and strength throughout this investigation and subsequent trial.
“No sentence can take away the harm that he has caused to them but it is because of the bravery that they have shown that Gorton can now be prevented from further offending. I hope this verdict reassures victims of sexual violence that we do take it seriously and will do our upmost to pursue justice, not just for the victims but for the safety and protection of the wider public.”
Anyone who is the victim of rape or sexual assault can call 999 in an emergency or see more on support on help here >>https://www.norfolk.police.uk/ro/report/rsa/alpha-v1/advice/rape-sexual-assault-and-other-sexual-offences/rape-sexual-assault-support/
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