Catfish who posed as 14-year-old boy jailed for 14 years in UK grooming case

A man described by prosecutors as a “highly dangerous sex predator” was jailed for 14 years on Wednesday after using online profiles to groom and blackmail dozens of girls, some as young as 11, by posing as a 14-year-old boy.

Stuart Latham, 22, from Wigan in Greater Manchester, carried out an internet campaign that targeted vulnerable girls in the United Kingdom and abroad, prosecutors said at Preston Crown Court. He used a Snapchat advert promising up to £200 or gift cards in exchange for sexualised images and videos, and threatened to post the material online if victims refused to send more.

The court heard that Latham was sentenced to 14 years in prison, plus an extended sentence of eight years, for a total of 49 offences including rape, making and distributing indecent images, inciting children to engage in sexual behaviour, possession of extreme pornography and blackmail against 39 victims. Prosecutor Alison Mather said police had identified a further 48 children whose images were found on devices at his home, but there were no charges because authorities wanted to bring him before the courts as soon as possible.

The offences were carried out between May 2022 and March 2024, when Latham was aged between 19 and 21, and followed an earlier arrest for the rape of a 12-year-old girl whom he had met on a dating app, and whom he convinced that they were boyfriend and girlfriend. A welfare service raised suspicions, leading to police involvement and the discovery of the sexual material on his devices.

Police recovered the first phone after his arrest on suspicion of rape, and found communications with children in the UK and abroad. Mather said he used his phone to record conversations and spoke to multiple children at once, moving between chats. He offered money for nude photographs or videos and sent images that appeared to show a 14-year-old boy.

A second device was later found, containing a similar Snapchat advert intended to lure additional victims. Judge Philip Parry told Latham that he was a “highly dangerous individual” and a predatory sex offender with little or no empathy toward the young girls who fell under his influence. The judge noted that many offences occurred while Latham was on bail and warned of the significant risk to public safety.

The pre-sentence report described Latham as posing a high risk to young girls, showing increasingly manipulative behavior intended to facilitate grooming. The judge commented that Latham continued offending while on bail, seemingly convinced that he could not worsen his situation.

Victim impact statements were delivered in court. One mother described the perpetrator’s conduct as “disgusting” for targeting girls at vulnerable ages. Another mother, speaking about the rape of a 12-year-old, said the consequences were devastating and that she felt anger and rage for having allowed it to happen. Others described the harm as life-changing and asked for accountability for the harm inflicted.

Nicholas Clarke, defending, argued that Latham demonstrated immaturity and naivety, with an inability to appreciate the consequences of his actions or regulate his emotions. He emphasized that the defendant showed some immaturity in emotional control and restraint.

The case underscores the ways in which online platforms can be exploited to exploit vulnerable youths, and the police noted that the investigation involved cross-border communication and the interception of a pattern of grooming across multiple devices and chats. While the court acknowledged the existence of additional victims identified through the devices, officials said there were no additional charges as investigators prioritized bringing Latham to account for the offences already established in court.

Latham was escorted from a residence into a police vehicle following his arrest, and the court highlighted the bravery of the two victims who testified in person, including a rape victim, whose statements helped expose the extent of his manipulation and predatory behavior. The court’s decision reflected the seriousness of sexual offences involving children and the ongoing risk posed by offenders who target young people online.

The sentencing concludes a lengthy investigation that revealed a disturbing pattern of exploitation and coercion. It also emphasizes that law enforcement continues to pursue unidentified victims and to pursue all available charges when possible, while balancing the need to bring offenders to justice in a timely manner.