Child Sexual Predator Sentenced

A sexual predator who arranged to meet a child for sex has been sentenced.

Philip Mottram, 45, has been sentenced after he travelled to meet a 14-year-old girl he had been speaking to online.

However, what he didn’t know was that he was actually speaking to an officer from the North East Regional Organised Crime Unit (NEROCU).

Mottram had been sending sexually explicit messages over a period of a few weeks and arranged to meet the child in Peterlee on March 21 last year. However, unfortunately for Mottram, the only people waiting for him were officers.

On September 15 this year, Mottram, of De Haviland Way, Seaton Carew, appeared at Teesside Crown Court and pleaded guilty to Arrange/Facilitate Child Sexual Offences and Attempting to Engage in Sexual Communication with a Child.

Last Friday (December 12), he appeared before the same court and was sentenced to two years suspended for two years and a 10 year sexual harm prevention order.

Speaking after the sentencing, NEROCU Detective Constable Adam Abram, said: “This is yet another swift and robust response to protect those vulnerable in our communities.

“Thanks to the great partnership work by our teams, Mottram had no choice but to plead guilty to the overwhelming evidence against him.

“Under Operational Sentinel, we will continue to work with our partners to tackle online child abuse and sexual exploitation and would urge anyone who has been a victim of this type of offending, or has concerns about someone’s behaviour, to come forward and talk to police.”

If you have concerns about child abuse or want to report a crime, then you can contact your local police force via their website or by calling 101. Always dial 999 in an emergency.