March 2021 Paedophile attempted to groom children over Fortnite game A paedophile attempted to groom children aged as young as seven through video games only hours after he had been spared jail for posting a sickening video online. Adam Syers, now of Newton-le-Willows, was handed a suspended prison sentence in September last year after filming a toddler from the window of his then home on Poplars Avenue in Orford, Warrington and making vile comments of a sexual nature. The video, which was then uploaded and circulated on Facebook, was narrated by the defendant who spoke of his wish to ‘have sex with the child’, attracting outrage from those who saw it. But, later that day, his offending escalated as he began to contact children he had met while playing video games such as Fortnite and Roblox online on his Xbox – which he had been barred from doing by a sexual harm prevention order. Now Syers has been locked up for two years and three months. Liverpool Crown Court heard this morning, Thursday, that the 23-year-old was handed a 10-week imprisonment suspended for two years at Warrington Magistrates’ Court on September 2 last year after admitting sending an offensive message. The previous May, he had videoed a mum and her young child walking down the street while making lewd comments detailing how he wanted to sexually abuse the youngster before posting the clip to Facebook. Syers was also handed a five-year sexual harm prevention order and a notification requirement lasting the same period on this occasion, preventing him from contacting and boy aged under 16 over the internet. The same day, the pervert began communicating with a 12-year-old boy via Xbox Live – chats which progressed onto Instagram after they had played video games together Using the username JuicyGamer, he allowed the youngster to make more than £200 of purchases on the gaming platform using his credit card over the course of more than a month. Syers – who is autistic – had also sent his victim messages telling him he that he ‘loved him’, and made the boy send a picture of himself wearing shorts. On September 6, the defendant – now of Tully Avenue in Newton-le-Willows – then approached a seven-year-old boy through Xbox and also communicated with him via TikTok.   The child’s mum discovered a string of ‘inappropriate messages’ between the two on October 5. Syers, who is also known as Adam Shipley, had asked the youngster ‘where can I meet you?’ and suggested that he should visit his house – as well as telling the child that he ‘loved him’ and that he ‘was fit’. Disturbingly, he then asked the boy if he wanted to ‘go on a date’ and if he would ‘be his boyfriend’. In a statement read out to the court on her behalf, the mother said: “This has completely destroyed his innocence. “I have had to explain things to him that he shouldn’t have to understand at this young age. “Going through this has caused him to become withdrawn, he is cautious of adults now and seems to have lost trust with others. “I’m worried that he will never get back to the confident young man he was.” Over the course of three days between September 13 and 16, Syers sent another series of messages to a third unidentified child – who is believed to be under the age of 11 – over Instagram, having also followed young girls’ accounts on the social network. He also failed to provide the police with his personal details within the period required under the notification requirement. Syers – who was previously cautioned by police as a youth for sexually assaulting another boy – admitted breaching a suspended sentence, breaching a sexual harm prevention order and breaching a notification requirement during an earlier hearing. Sentencing, judge Rachel Smith said: “You are socially isolated, and you are vulnerable individual yourself. “But only immediate custody will follow for the range of offences committed in this case. “It appears that there is some developing understanding by you of your sexual interest in children, which provides some prospect of rehabilitation in the future. “Your course of conduct spanned some weeks, which demonstrates that this was a persistent breach risking serious harm. “These were clearly multiple and more serious offences starting on the day of the imposition of the suspended sentence order.” Judge Smith imposed a new sexual harm prevention order to run for seven years, as well as extended the notification requirement for the same amount of time. Forfeiture and destruction of Syers’ iPhone and Xbox was also ordered, while the defendant was told to pay a victim surcharge. September 2020 Man spared jail after filming and talking sexually about child in the street A pervert who recorded a mother and child as they walked down the street and made sexual comments about the toddler has avoided jail. Adam Syers, who lived in Poplars and Hulme at the time but now resides in Newton-le-Willows, then circulated the video on Facebook, attracting outrage from those who saw it. The 22-year-old was hauled before Warrington Magistrates’ Court after being charged with a malicious communications offence. But despite being ‘aware and terrified’ of the prospect of custody, he was given a second chance of rehabilitation. Hannah Scott, prosecuting, told the court of how on May 20, the victims were walking down Poplars Avenue, unaware that they were being filmed by Syers. The video, which was uploaded to social media, was narrated by the defendant who spoke of his wish to ‘have sex with the child’. The mother was made aware of the video and reported it to the police. In a victim impact statement, she spoke of how the incident has affected her mentally and the way she goes about her daily lif She said: “I am scared to walk down the street as I am reminded by the incident. I cannot sleep as I have nightmares and horrible thoughts.” Before sentencing, chair magistrate Linda Bloomfield said: “You have pleaded guilty to a very serious offence involving a child. “It has had a serious and lasting impact on the child’s mother, and it is not known what impact it could have on the child. You were bound to be found out. “Work with the probation service to ensure that you never commit such a horrible offence again.” Syers was sentenced to 10 weeks in prison suspended for two years. He must also comply with a sexual harm prevention order and restraining order barring him from contacting the victims.