A 23-year-old man who travelled to a Bedfordshire village to sexually abuse a child has been sentenced to more than 13 years in prison.
Joshua Gray, of Ellanby Crescent, London, groomed the young victim on TikTok before moving their messaging to Discord, where he sent sexually explicit content across four days.
He then travelled from London to a village near Bedford, persuading the girl to meet him in a local park late at night before raping and sexually assaulting her.
Police response
Officers located the victim in the park shortly after her parents reported her missing, before quickly tracking down and arresting Gray.
At Luton Crown Court last week (2 October) Gray was sentenced to 13 years and six months in prison.
He previously pleaded guilty to offences including rape, sexual assault, sexual communication with a child and intentional strangulation.
Court order
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Judges also handed Gray a 20-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order alongside a restraining order running until further notice.
Detective constable Lauren Byrne from Bedfordshire Police’s Protecting Vulnerable People team said: “Gray deliberately targeted a vulnerable young girl online and manipulated her into meeting him before abusing her in the worst possible way.
“I would like to commend the bravery of the victim in supporting this investigation. I hope this sentence demonstrates that we will do everything possible to bring offenders who exploit and abuse children to justice.
“Please remember it’s never too late to report. By doing so, you could help us put these dangerous perpetrators in prison, while potentially protecting further victims.”
It can be difficult to tell if your child is being groomed. Bedfordshire Police say the signs aren’t always obvious and may be hidden.
They say signs to look out for include:
- Is your child being secretive about how they’re spending their time?
- Do they have an older boyfriend or girlfriend?
- Do they have money or new things like clothes and mobile phones that they can’t or won’t explain?
- Are they drinking or taking drugs?
- Are they spending more or less time online or on their devices than usual?
- Do they seem upset or withdrawn?
- Are they using sexual language you wouldn’t expect them to know?
- Are they spending more time away from home or going missing for periods of time?
Find out more about how to keep you, child, safe online, the signs to spot, and the support available at the Bedfordshire Police website.
