CHRISTOPHER ZEB AND POPPY KNIGHT FROM BANBURY SENTENCED FOR CHILD SEX OFFENCES IN OXFORDSHIRE AND MANCHESTER

In a disturbing case that has shocked the local community and raised serious concerns about online grooming and child exploitation, a young girl was lured into a nightmarish ordeal by a sadistic couple from Banbury, Oxfordshire. The incident unfolded after the girl, aged just 14, was manipulated through internet chat rooms by Christopher Zeb, 26, and Poppy Knight, 22, who subsequently subjected her to a harrowing 24-hour sexual abuse session in a hotel in Manchester.

According to court proceedings, Zeb and Knight’s relationship began as an extramarital affair in 2011, which quickly devolved into a dark and sadistic sexual dynamic. Court documents revealed that Knight willingly played the role of her lover’s submissive 'slave,' deriving pleasure from inflicting pain and suffering upon herself at Zeb’s behest. Meanwhile, Zeb was actively seeking out vulnerable young girls online, with a particular interest in those he could manipulate into his twisted fantasies.

The court heard that on Easter Sunday in 2012, Zeb and Knight traveled from Banbury to Manchester with the intent of meeting a 14-year-old girl from Bolton, Lancashire. The girl, whose identity is protected by law, lied to her mother about visiting a friend in Bolton but instead took a train to Manchester, where she was met by the couple at the train station. Prosecutor Cathy Olliver described the events: after a meal, the trio went to a hotel where the girl was blindfolded and forced to perform sexual acts on Zeb twice. The couple then created a makeshift 'den' out of bedclothes, entered it naked, and engaged in an orgy that Knight filmed. Throughout this ordeal, Knight actively encouraged the girl and praised her, with the girl being unaware that she was being recorded.

Police investigations uncovered further disturbing evidence. A document titled 'Slaves In Training' was found on Zeb’s computer, listing the names of the 14-year-old girl and a 12-year-old girl, indicating Zeb’s intent to groom and exploit young victims. The police also seized Zeb’s computer and a hidden mobile phone from his loft, discovering videos of the hotel incident and explicit images of the girls Zeb had targeted. The evidence showed that Zeb had contacted multiple girls in a sexualized manner, with his phone number saved under the alias 'Master' in the girls’ phones.

Further investigations revealed that Knight had been in contact with the 14-year-old girl Zeb met in Manchester. An email exchange read out in court showed Knight referring to the girls as 'slave sisters' and insisting they had to please Zeb. Zeb admitted to nine charges, including abducting a child, meeting a female under 16 after grooming her, and multiple child sex offences, one of which involved sexual activity with a girl under 13. Knight pleaded guilty to eight offences related solely to the 14-year-old girl.

During the sentencing at Oxford Crown Court, Judge Ian Pringle condemned the pair’s actions as 'serious sexual offences.' Zeb was sentenced to six and a half years in prison, while Knight received a sentence of 30 months. The judge emphasized the severity of the abuse, stating that Zeb was the primary perpetrator and had engaged in clearly documented acts of abuse. Both offenders were ordered to sign the sex offenders register, banned from contacting children, and prohibited from using the internet on unmonitored computers.

Relatives of Zeb and Knight, including Zeb’s parents, sat in silence during the proceedings. The defense argued that Knight was also a victim of Zeb’s influence, claiming she was following orders and under his malign control. Zeb’s legal representative acknowledged his client’s full acceptance of his offending, describing the relationship as 'dark and often sadistic' but consensual between the two. The court’s ruling underscores the gravity of the crimes committed and the need for strict measures to prevent further harm.