OLDHAM PAEDOPHILE CRAIG PRESTAGE SENTENCED TO OVER SEVEN YEARS FOR CHILD SEX OFFENCES
In a disturbing case that highlights the ongoing threat posed by convicted sex offenders, Craig Prestage, a 45-year-old man from Oldham, has been sentenced to seven years and three months in prison after admitting to a series of serious offences involving a police officer posing as a 12-year-old girl.Prestage’s criminal activities came to light after he engaged in online conversations with an undercover officer, who was pretending to be a young girl named ‘Becca’.
The exchanges took place on the website ‘ChatAvenue’ on March 9 of this year, where Prestage used the username ‘Fun13’.
During their initial contact, he openly disclosed his age and location, stating he was 45 years old and from Manchester, while ‘Becca’ claimed to be only 12.
According to court reports, Prestage began the conversation by asking ‘Becca’ about her appearance and sending her affectionate ‘kiss’ emojis.
He expressed a desire to continue their chat on the messaging platform Kik, where the conversation soon turned sexual in nature.
The court heard that Prestage asked for a nude photograph of the girl and suggested they meet before the end of the lockdown period, citing the reason that fewer people would be around to see them.
He further suggested that the girl perform a sexual act on herself and reassured her that they wouldn’t need to have sex immediately.
Throughout the exchanges, Prestage made explicit requests, including asking if she had a nude photograph and proposing a meeting once restrictions were lifted.
He also sent her a photograph of himself, which was later identified as a stock image, and complimented her appearance, saying, “If I was your age I’d like to have you as my gf.” Prosecutor David Lees detailed that Prestage’s online conduct included asking the girl if she had engaged in sexual activity with a boy and whether she would want to do the same with him.
He also inquired about her performing a sexual act on herself and reiterated the plan to meet up after lockdown, emphasizing that they could do so discreetly.
When police arrested Prestage on March 19, he was taken for questioning but refused to cooperate, replying with ‘no comment’ to all inquiries.
Subsequent analysis of his mobile phone revealed the presence of indecent images of children—one Category B and eight Category C images—and internet searches indicating attempts to erase his web browsing history.
The court heard that Prestage had a lengthy criminal record, with eight previous convictions for 35 offences, including attempts to incite a girl under 16 to engage in sexual activity and possession of indecent images.
Notably, in 2014, he was sentenced to four and a half years in prison for similar offences involving indecent images.
Today, the court sentenced Prestage to a total of seven years and three months behind bars, reflecting the severity of his actions and the danger he poses to the community.
The case underscores the importance of vigilant law enforcement efforts to combat online grooming and protect vulnerable children from predators.
