DISABLED MAN FROM ST HELENS AND SHROPSHIRE INVOLVED IN SEX-BY-TEXT SCANDAL

In a disturbing case that has sent shockwaves through the communities of Leicestershire, Shropshire, and St Helens, a series of individuals have been convicted for their involvement in a heinous scheme involving the grooming and exploitation of a minor through modern communication methods.

Barry Carman, aged 56 and residing in Earlestown, St Helens, Merseyside, was sentenced to 14 months in prison after being found guilty of conspiracy to commit indecent assault by Leeds Crown Court last month. Carman, who is disabled and uses a wheelchair, was living in a bail hostel at the time of his arrest. His situation was compounded by a violent mob attack on his property, a specially adapted bungalow, which led to his forced displacement.

According to court reports, Carman’s residence was targeted by a mob of approximately seventy individuals who, upon reading about him in the press, descended upon his home. They smashed windows and spray-painted the word “Paedo” on his house, an act of intimidation and harassment. The court also heard that no removal company was willing to assist in collecting his belongings, further isolating him during this difficult period. Carman’s involvement in the crime was linked to his communication with a known pimp, Raymond Hawthorne, aged 40, from Eccles, Greater Manchester. Hawthorne was previously jailed for seven years for operating a nationwide paedophile prostitution ring.

In this case, Carman arranged to meet with a 14-year-old boy for sexual activity after exchanging text messages with Hawthorne. The boy had been groomed for sex by Nathan Eyre, aged 38 from Leeds, who had sold him to Hawthorne. Eyre was sentenced to eight years in prison last month. The minor was drugged and given alcohol before the planned encounter, but police intervened in time to prevent the abuse. The teenager was rescued by law enforcement officers after being contacted through gay chat lines, which facilitated communication among the offenders.

Alongside Carman, two other men—Eric Groves, aged 44 from Shifnal, Shropshire, and David Howitt, aged 67 from Ashby de la Zouch, Leicestershire—admitted their roles in the offences last month. Both men received eight-month prison sentences. All three men were also subjected to lifetime bans from working with children or having any unsupervised contact with minors.

During the sentencing, Mr. Justice Holland emphasized the severity of the crimes, stating: “The text messages demonstrate Hawthorne’s shrewdness in advertising this boy for sex, which is why you are here. Fundamental to this child’s ordeal was the availability of customers for Hawthorne.” He further underscored the importance of strict penalties for those involved in exploiting minors, asserting, “The word has to go out that any dalliance with pimps for underage prostitutes has to mean custodial sentences.”

Overall, the investigation, conducted by West Yorkshire Police, resulted in the conviction of seven men involved in this disturbing network of exploitation and grooming. The case highlights the ongoing dangers posed by online communication channels used by predators to target vulnerable minors and the importance of vigilant law enforcement efforts to combat such crimes.