A Tameside man has been jailed for ten years for grooming and sexually assaulting teenage girls using fake online profile
Scott Kirkham pleaded guilty to 30 offences, including sexual communication and causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and will remain on the sex offenders’ register and will have an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order
His offending first came to light after reports from Oxfordshire and south Wales tracked his IP address to Tameside.
He created numerous social media accounts, pretending to be teenager ‘Jake Richardson’ aged 14-16 and using a fake photo to befriend and groom nine vulnerable victims aged from 13 to 17 between March 2020 and April 2021.
He met three of his victims – sometimes with their parents present – in Cumbria and Blackpool, and also sexually assaulted one girl at his address in Tameside.
Detective Constable Angela Pavitt, from our Tameside Complex Safeguarding Team, said: “We had a report from Oxfordshire and one from south Wales where the IP of the suspect was tracked to Tameside – as part of our investigation we tied these reports to Kirkham.
“Kirkham targeted vulnerable girls, some who were self-harming or in care, pretending to be ‘Jake Richardson’.
“The victims turned to him for help and support – often he would mock them and encourage them to self-harm.
“He met his victims on five occasions, in Manchester, Blackpool, Cumbria and Tameside, and carried out his vile abuse.”
