HYDE MAN AND WOMAN ANDREW PEAT AND AMY WILLET SENTENCED FOR ONLINE GROOMING OF TEENAGE GIRL IN CHEADLE HULME

In a disturbing case that highlights the dangers of online grooming, a couple from Hyde, Andrew Peat and Amy Willett, have been sentenced for their involvement in sexually exploiting a 15-year-old girl they met through social media platforms. The incident, which took place last summer, involved a series of manipulative communications that ultimately aimed to lure the young girl into engaging in sexual activities.

Andrew Peat, aged 27, who resides on Broadbottom Road in Hyde, initiated contact with the victim on a social networking site that clearly displayed her age. Within moments of starting their conversation, Peat's messages quickly turned sexually explicit, revealing his intentions and plans to meet the girl in person for sexual purposes. The situation escalated when Willett, aged 23 and living on Haslemere Drive in Cheadle Hulme, also contacted the girl a few days later, joining Peat in the online communication.

The trio then continued their interactions across various platforms, including emails, phone calls, and social networking sites. Police investigations revealed that the messages exchanged were not only sexually explicit but also included detailed plans to meet the girl and persuade her to have sex. The grooming campaign was only halted when the victim’s mother discovered the inappropriate messages and raised the alarm, prompting police intervention.

Further investigations uncovered a disturbing aspect of Peat’s online activity. Authorities found nine indecent images of children stored on his home computer, underscoring his involvement in child sex offending. Detective Constable Phil Kennedy commented on the case, stating, “The discovery of nine indecent images at Peat’s house illustrates that he had no issues with child sex offending. Indecent images of this nature endorse the abuse of children.”

Both Peat and Willett faced serious charges. Peat pleaded guilty to multiple offenses, including causing a child to engage in sexual activity, causing a child to watch a sexual act, and making nine indecent images. He was sentenced to two years in prison. Willett also admitted to causing a child to engage in sexual activity and received a sentence of 12 months, which was suspended for two years. The case underscores the ongoing efforts of Greater Manchester Police, working in partnership with agencies such as the Child Exploitation Online Protection Centre (CEOP), to combat online abuse and protect vulnerable children from exploitation.