Snapchat child sex abuser jailed for 15 years

A paedophile who groomed girls on Snapchat before meeting them for sex has been jailed for 15 years and seven months.

Luke Edmonds, 25, formerly from Rubery, met up with four girls aged between 13 and 15 that he had been talking to on the social media app.

When police analysed his phone, they found a total of 700 indecent images and videos, including of him engaging in sexual activity with children.

Edmonds was sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court on 19 May after pleading guilty to counts of sexual activity with a child, making and possessing indecent photographs of a child, sexual communication with a child and inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

West Midlands Police said a review of the offender's Snapchat account revealed his profile stated he was a 15-year-old boy.

The force found about 400 message threads in which he was targeting teenage girls, lying about his age to win their trust.

He met up with girls in Bristol, South Wales, Chester and Scotland, and even produced a photocopy of a fake passport on one occasion, pretending he was 18.

Edmonds was arrested last October after police executed a warrant to search his home.

Det Con Adrian Jackson said the Snapchat messages revealed a pattern of offending.

"[He] would gain their trust through expressing his love for them before bombarding them with sickening demands day and night," he said.

"Edmonds was a prolific offender who had a fascination with underage girls."

He praised the bravery of Edmond's victims in coming forward to report his crimes.

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