Redditch 'predator' jailed for attempting sexual communication with a child

West Mercia Police officers intercepted Matthew Jenkins, 35, before he caused 'significant harm to children'

A sex "predator" has been jailed for four years for attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child online. Matthew Jenkins was in contact with a 13-year-old's profile.

Investigators from West Mercia Police's online child sexual exploitation team intercepted Jenkins before he "caused significant harm to children", the force said. The 35-year-old, of Flaxley Close in Redditch, appeared at Worcester Crown Court on Tuesday, October 15 after he pleaded guilty to all offences.

He was sentenced for attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, attempting to cause a child aged 13 to 15 to look at an image of sexual activity and attempting to cause or incite a girl aged 13 to 15 in sexual activity.

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For the latter offence he was sentenced to four years in prison. For the other two offences, he was given two sentences of 18 months, to be served concurrently. Jenkins, who was previously known by the alias Marcus Benjamin Pearson, was placed on the sex offenders register and given an indefinite sexual harm prevention order.

He was arrested in May 2022 by West Mercia Police’s Online Child Sexual Exploitation Team. Photographs were taken at the scene and of clothing that matched pictures sent during the chat.

Following sentencing, Det Con Rich Britton said: “Jenkins is an online predator who could have caused significant harm to children. Fortunately on this occasion, we were able to intercept him before he was able to prey up on an actual child, but this does not lessen the seriousness of his offences.

"We will continue to take online offences just as seriously as offences in our communities and bring offenders like Jenkins to justice.”