Six-year sentence for child sex offender

A man has been sentenced to six years in jail for child sexual exploitation offences.

Warren Wilde, 51, of Meltham, was sentenced at Minshull Street Crown Court, Manchester on January 3 after pleading guilty to offences of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, obtaining the sexual services of a child following payment and making and distributing indecent photographs of children.

Wilde, who has previously lived in Greenfield, was sentenced to six years imprisonment and a Sexual Harm Prevention Order has been imposed indefinitely. He will also be required to sign the Sex Offender’s Register for life.

Wilde used social media to engage in online conversations with two victims who were both under the age of 16.

He incited the victims, a 13-year-old boy and a 15-year-old boy, to engage in sexual conversations and to send indecent images.

On four occasions, Wilde met up with one of the victims and engaged in sexual activity before giving the boy money.

Following his arrest, Wilde’s mobile phones were seized. He was found to be in possession of indecent images of children and there was evidence to show he had distributed indecent images to other men.

Detective Constable Rochelle Evans, of the Phoenix Tameside CSE Team, said: “Child Sexual Exploitation takes place in many forms.

“In this case Wilde used social media to target his victims who were both under 16 years of age. He then proceeded to meet one of his victims in person to commit further crimes.

“I would like to thank both young people for having the courage to report these matters to the police, and I hope this result has provided them with some justice when coming to terms with what they have experienced because of the defendant’s actions.

“It is important that parents and carers take interest in the contact young people have with others online and via social media platforms, particularly those that may be targeted at an older audience and to recognise that all young people under the age of 18 are at risk, whether they are boys or girls.”

Project Phoenix continues to develop Greater Manchester’s response to CSE. Visit www.itsnotokay.co.uk for information on how to spot the signs of child sexual exploitation and what to do about it.

If you or someone you know has been raped or sexually assaulted, we encourage you not to suffer in silence and report it to the police or a support agency.

Call Greater Manchester Police on 101, or alternatively people can refer themselves to St Mary’s Sexual Assault Referral Centre on 0161 276 6515, whether or not you want make a police report.