Stuart Eyles,44, of Market Street, Hyde, was sentenced today at Minshull Street Crown Court to two years and six months in prison
He has pleaded guilty to one count of sexual communication with a child, Five counts of attempted sexual communication with a child, One count of causing a child to engage in sexual activity, One count of attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity,21 counts of making indecent images of a child and 30 counts of distributing indecent images of a child
He was also ordered to sign the sex offenders register for 10 years and issued with a 10 year sexual harm prevention order.
The court heard how this case was originally reported to GMP by the South East Regional Organised Crime Unit back in 2018, after Eyles instigated conversation with one of their undercover operatives over social media, with the belief that he was speaking to a 14 year old girl.
The undercover operative informed Eyles that the profile was that of a 14-year-old child and offered to cease the conversation. Eyles stated he did not want that to happen and began to sexualise the conversation; asking for indecent images to be sent.
In March 2019, a warrant was carried out at Eyles’ home address where a number of his devices were seized, including a laptop, a camera, a mobile phone and a USB stick.
Following this warrant, officers met Eyles outside his workplace in Wythenshawe where he was arrested on suspicion of attempt sexual communication with a child and a further mobile phone was seized.
Detectives conducted a forensic examination of these devices where they discovered further criminal activity, including numerous indecent images of children stored on the devices as well as sexual communication with a child, where Eyles had sent indecent images of himself to a 14-year-girl and attempted to try and incite her to engage in sexual activity.
Eyles was subsequently further arrested on suspicion of a number of sexual offences and later charged.
Detective Inspector Suzanne Keenaghan, of GMP’s Sexual Crime Unit, said: “Eyles is a danger to children and uses social media to prey on his victims with the perverted intention of coercing underage girls to send him indecent images for his own sexual gratification.
“The victims are being supported by our policing partners in their respective force areas. I want to thank the team for the hours spent meticulously gathering evidence to ensure this paedophile faces the consequences of his vile actions.
“The nature of these offences must not be underestimated. Child sex offences can have a damaging impact on the victims, creating trauma that they have to then carry with them for the rest of their lives.
“Hopefully this result today serves as a stark reminder that GMP is committed to investigating all claims of child sex offences and will ensure that those engaging in this abhorrent behaviour are brought to justice.”
