A DENTON man branded a ‘predator’ by police has been jailed for having sex with a minor he groomed.
Thomas Cooper communicated online with a girl he had contacted after adding her on the social media platform SnapChat.
After grooming her, he made arrangements to meet her and subsequently engaged in sexual activity with her on two separate occasions.
Now after the victim’s family found out about the offences, the 24-year-old, of Tame Street, has been jailed for three years and nine months.
Manchester’s Minshull Street Crown Court saw Cooper sentenced on Wednesday, May 4 after he pleaded guilty to two counts of an offender 18 or over engaging in penetrative sexual activity with a child and two counts of an offender over 18 meeting a girl under 16 following grooming.
As well as his jail sentence, he was made subject of a 10-year sexual harm prevention order and his name will be on the sex offender register for life.
After the girl’s family alerted police, Cooper was arrested in Ashton on January 31.
In his interview, he blamed the victim for forcing him to engage in sexual activity against his will on both occasions.
During the investigation, detectives were able to obtain enough evidence which led to him eventually pleading guilty to the offences.
And Detective Constable Mike Allen, of Greater Manchester Police’s Tameside district complex safeguarding team, said: “Cooper is clearly a predator prying on children for his own sexual pleasure.
“Sexual offences often have a long-lasting impact on victims and Greater Manchester Police is committed to preventing this harm.
“I would, therefore, like to use this opportunity to encourage any young person who is being contacted by an adult or who’s aware of an adult inappropriately contacting a young person, to report it to an appropriate adult or agency so they can be safeguarded and supported and the suspect can be identified.
“I hope this result warns offenders that this behaviour will not be tolerated in Greater Manchester and that authorities here are committed to ensuring they face justice.”