September 2018

Convicted sex offender caught by paedophile hunting team

A convicted sex offender has been jailed after he was caught in a sting operation by paedophile hunters ‘Net Justice’

Mathew Heslop appeared at court where he admitted sexual communication with a child

The court was told that Heslop had previous convictions for child sexual offences. He had previously sent to prison for possession of over 600 images of children.

During the sting Heslop admitted he had a sexual attraction to kids and needed help he was already still on licence.

He was charged, remanded and appeared in court on 26/2/18.

He groomed what he believed to be a 14 year old decoy online.

He sent indecent images and facilitated a meet.

He was sentenced to 14 months imprisonment. 10 years sexual harm prevention order and 10 years on the sex offenders register

June 2012

Leeds Facebook pervert posed as child

A pervert who posed as a nine-year-old girl on Facebook was found in possession of more than 600 child porn images.

Matthew Heslop, 39, was caught when West Yorkshire Police received a tip-off that he was pretending to be a youngster in order to contact people on the social networking site.

Officers made the discovery after executing a search warrant at his home in Armley, Leeds, in January last year.

A computer was seized and 637 images were discovered. A total of 106 were at level four and 30 were at level five, the most serious category for illegal indecent images, Leeds Crown Court heard.

Heslop admitted seven offences relating to possessing indecent images of children.

Robin Freize, for Heslop, said his client pleaded guilty to the offences at an early opportunity and had co-operated with the investigation.

Mr Freize said Heslop accepted that he has a sexual interest in children and wanted to get help to address the problem.

Judge Christopher Batty said he was faced with a difficult choice between imposing a short prison sentence, where he would be kept on a segregated wing and would not receive any help, or a community punishment where he would be able to access treatment.

He handed him a three-year community order, which includes him going on a sex offenders’ course. Judge Batty said sparing him jail may appear lenient but society would continue to be just as much at risk when Heslop was freed.

He told Heslop: “These last few months must have been very difficult months.

“Whatever you have been through doesn’t even begin to compare with what these young children have been through to satisfy the sexual needs of people like you.

“Without you, there would not be a market.

“When you see the descriptions of the sort of thing that you were looking at, it is just horrifying, particularly for young parents to think of their children having to go through such degradation, such suffering. And all for you sexual pleasure.”

Heslop was also ordered to sign the sex offenders’ resister for five years.