Two men who conspired to groom and sexually abuse a child in Kirklees have been jailed for offences described as depraved by detectives.
Jeremy Mason (39) from Manchester and Owen Daley (22) from Oxford were branded a danger to children following their sentencing at Leeds Crown Court today (August 19).
Kirklees District child protection officers welcome the sentencing of the two men who pleaded guilty to offending including an attempt by Mason to meet and sexually abuse the male victim while sharing the footage with Daley.
Mason was sentenced to six years in prison after pleading guilty to 14 offences including causing/inciting a boy under 13 to engage in sexual activity and sexual communication with a child.
Daley was sentenced to six years after pleading guilty to 12 offences including causing a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity and sexual communication with a child.
Both were given lifetime Sexual Harm Prevention Orders and will have to sign on the sex offenders register for life.
Their offending came to police attention in late December after officers were contacted by a friend of the victim on the night he was supposed to meet Mason at an Air BNB in Huddersfield.
The victim failed to attend however and was located in the town centre by the friend who made the report.
Officers from the Kirklees Police Online Investigation Team (POLIT) began to investigate and traced back online and phone communications from the two men to the victim
Mason was identified, traced, located and arrested within 24 hours while Daley was located within a month following telecommunication enquires.
As investigations progressed officers uncovered that the victim has first been contacted by a currently unidentified man who had passed the victim’s details on to Owen and Daley
They then recovered months of contact between the victim and the two men in which they sent him sexual imagery and had made preparations for Mason to meet and sexually assault him.
DS Ben Howley of the Kirklees POLIT team, who led the investigation said: “We welcome the sentences given to Mason and Daley for offences and further planned offending which can frankly be described as depraved.
“It is pure good fortune that Mason did not come into contact with the young victim on the night he arranged a meeting.
“The victim continues to receive specialist safeguarding care and I wish to pay tribute to him and his family for supporting the prosecution.
“Their courage has helped us and CPS colleagues put these men, who pose an absolute danger to children, behind bars.”
He added: “We always advise victims of crime to come forwards and would ask anyone or any families of children being contacted via social media in such circumstances to contact West Yorkshire Police.
“More information about spotting the signs of online grooming can be found on the West Yorkshire Police website at Block the Web Monsters – Cyber Crime | West Yorkshire Police “
