ADAM SYERS FROM NEWTON-LE-WILLOWS AND WARRINGTON CAUGHT IN CHILD GROOMING AND SEXUAL OFFENCES

In a disturbing series of criminal acts, Adam Syers, a man residing in Newton-le-Willows and previously in Warrington, has been convicted of multiple offenses involving the exploitation and grooming of minors. The case, which has garnered significant attention from the courts and the public, highlights the dangers posed by individuals who abuse online platforms to target vulnerable children.

It was in March 2021 that Syers's criminal activities escalated to a frightening level. Just hours after he was given a suspended sentence for posting a highly inappropriate video online, he attempted to groom children through popular online video games. The court heard that Syers, then living in Warrington, had previously been convicted for filming a toddler from his window on Poplars Avenue in Orford, Warrington, and making lewd comments about the child. That video was uploaded to Facebook, causing outrage among viewers who saw the disturbing content.

Despite receiving a suspended prison sentence in September of the previous year, Syers's offending did not cease. On that occasion, he was sentenced at Warrington Magistrates' Court to ten weeks in prison, suspended for two years, after admitting to sending an offensive message. The court also imposed a five-year sexual harm prevention order and a notification requirement, which prohibited him from contacting children under 16 via the internet.

However, the following months saw Syers's behavior worsen. He began communicating with a 12-year-old boy through Xbox Live, using the username JuicyGamer. Over the course of more than a month, he allowed the boy to make purchases totaling over £200 on the gaming platform using his credit card. During these interactions, Syers, who is autistic, sent messages expressing affection, including statements like he ‘loved him,’ and even asked the boy to send a picture of himself wearing shorts.

On September 6, Syers, now residing on Tully Avenue in Newton-le-Willows, extended his grooming attempts to a seven-year-old boy. He approached the child through Xbox and continued communication via TikTok. The child's mother discovered a series of inappropriate messages between her son and Syers on October 5. In these messages, Syers asked the young boy where he could meet him, suggested that he visit his house, and expressed feelings of love, calling the child ‘fit.’ Disturbingly, he also asked if the boy wanted to ‘go on a date’ and if he would ‘be his boyfriend,’ crossing serious boundaries of appropriate conduct.

The mother of the seven-year-old described the profound impact of these events, stating: “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.”

Further troubling developments occurred between September 13 and 16, when Syers sent messages to an unidentified third child, believed to be under 11 years old, via Instagram. He also followed young girls’ accounts on the platform. During this period, he failed to provide police with his personal details as required under the notification order.

Syers, also known as Adam Shipley, had a prior history of cautioning by police for a sexual assault on another boy during his youth. During the court proceedings, he admitted to breaching his suspended sentence, the sexual harm prevention order, and the notification requirement.

Judge Rachel Smith, presiding over the case, emphasized the seriousness of Syers’s actions. She stated, “You are socially isolated, and you are a 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.”

As a result, Syers was sentenced to two years and three months in prison. The court also imposed a new seven-year sexual harm prevention order, extended the notification requirement for the same period, and ordered the forfeiture and destruction of his iPhone and Xbox. Additionally, he was instructed to pay a victim surcharge. The court’s decision underscores the grave nature of his offenses and the ongoing risk he poses to children in the community of Warrington and Newton-le-Willows.