CRAIG SLATER GROOMED AND SEXUALLY ABUSED 15-YEAR-OLD BOY IN ASHTON-IN-MAKERFIELD

In April 2021, a disturbing case emerged involving Craig Slater, a former IT teacher from Byrchall High School in Ashton-in-Makerfield, who was convicted of grooming and engaging in sexual activities with a 15-year-old boy he met through the Grindr dating app.

Prosecutor Ben Lawrence outlined to Bolton Crown Court that Slater, aged 40 at the time, initiated contact with the young victim via Grindr, a popular social networking platform for gay men. The court was informed that the grooming process took place over several months, from June to November 2019, during which Slater employed a highly manipulative and calculated approach to establish a sexual relationship with the minor.

Although the boy listed his age as 18 on his Grindr profile, authorities uncovered WhatsApp messages retrieved from Slater’s phone that revealed he was fully aware of the boy’s true age well before they met in person. These messages contained explicit and disturbing content, with Slater describing himself as a 'sex-obsessed pervert' and indicating that he was comfortable with the idea of the boy arriving at meetings dressed in his school uniform.

Slater used a pseudonym, 'Andrew Spilter,' to conceal his identity and often engaged in sexualized conversations. When the boy expressed hesitations, Slater responded in a manner that the prosecution described as a sophisticated grooming tactic, saying, 'It makes me feel like I’m coercing you into it.'

Further, it was revealed that Slater, who was in an open relationship at the time, confided in the boy that he would not tell his partner about their interactions because it was 'technically naughty.' The predator also expressed impatience, stating, 'I don’t want to wait until then,' after the boy disclosed his upcoming 16th birthday.

Throughout their communication, Slater bought gifts for the boy, suggested they could book a hotel room for a meeting, and on at least one occasion, sent a lengthy message indicating romantic feelings. The two exchanged explicit photographs and videos, culminating in three in-person sexual encounters.

Authorities became aware of Slater’s misconduct in May 2020 when the boy mentioned his name during an investigation unrelated to the case. Following this, police seized Slater’s phone and arrested him. An examination of his device uncovered 19 indecent images of the boy, categorized as one Category A, two Category B, and 16 Category C images.

During police interviews, Slater claimed he believed the boy was 18, based on his Grindr profile, and that he did not think the boy was actually 15, dismissing the situation as a 'fantasy.' He admitted to being attracted to 'young trendy guys' aged between 17 and early 20s. When asked about one of the sexual encounters, he remarked, 'It wasn’t my finest hour.'

Slater pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including five counts of sexual activity with a child, three counts of possessing indecent images of a child, engaging in sexual communication with a child, inciting a child to watch sexual activity, and inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

In sentencing, Judge Recorder Alex Leach sentenced Slater to five years and three months in prison. The judge described the offences as 'reprehensible' and emphasized the calculated nature of the grooming, noting that Slater, as a teacher, should have been aware of the profound impact such actions could have on a vulnerable teenager. The court also imposed a Sexual Harm Prevention Order on Slater until further notice and mandated that he register as a sex offender for life.