BENJAMIN BARNES FROM LINCOLN SENTENCED FOR CHILD SEX OFFENCES IN LEICESTER AND MELTON

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community, Benjamin Barnes, a 48-year-old man from Lincoln, has been convicted and sentenced for a series of heinous crimes involving the grooming and sexual abuse of young girls. The offences took place between 2003 and 2004, primarily in Leicester and Melton, and involved a pattern of manipulative behavior aimed at exploiting vulnerable children through online interactions.

Barnes, who was known to frequent internet chat rooms, specifically targeted single mothers with daughters, establishing online relationships that eventually led to physical abuse. His grooming tactics involved befriending the mothers first, gaining their trust, and then using the digital space to manipulate their children. The court heard that Barnes engaged in five separate incidents of indecent assault on a 13-year-old girl, which included sexual touching. Additionally, he was convicted of two offences involving a seven-year-old girl, where he kissed her on the mouth on five different occasions.

His actions came to light after the children confided in their families about the abuse, prompting police investigations. During the trial at Leicester Crown Court, Barnes denied all allegations, claiming that the children had fabricated the stories. Despite his denials, the evidence presented was compelling enough to secure a conviction.

In addition to the child abuse charges, Barnes faced a separate conviction for an unrelated incident of affray at a GP’s surgery in Skegness in April 2006. The court heard that Barnes had barricaded himself inside the medical facility after being refused a sick note due to the absence of an appointment. Police intervened, forcing entry into the premises and using CS spray to restrain him.

The judge, Simon Hammond, sentenced Barnes to five years in prison and imposed strict conditions upon his release. He was permanently banned from working with children or having unsupervised contact with anyone under the age of 16. Furthermore, Barnes was ordered to register as a sex offender for life and serve an extended licence period of five years post-release.

In his sentencing remarks, Judge Hammond emphasized the severity of Barnes’s actions, stating, “By using internet chat rooms, the defendant targeted single mothers with a view to grooming these girls for his sexual purposes. It was persistent and repeated conduct. There’s no doubt he tried to see how far he could go and disguised his behaviour by pretending to be playing. Neither girl will forget their experience.” The judge also expressed concern over Barnes’s apparent lack of remorse and the pre-sentence report, which indicated that Barnes had shown no regard for the impact of his actions on his victims.

Graham Huston, representing Barnes, argued that the offences did not involve sexual penetration and suggested that Barnes was in need of psychological help to address underlying issues. Court records revealed that Barnes had no prior convictions related to sex crimes but was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the offences, which he used to manage his anxiety and depression. The court was told that Barnes was experiencing a mental health crisis, feeling suicidal and disassociating from reality during the incident at the GP’s surgery.

Overall, the case highlights the dangers posed by online predators and the importance of vigilance in protecting vulnerable children from exploitation and abuse.