EARL WHYMAN'S RECKLESS CRIMES IN SHEFFIELD: FROM PAST OFFENSES TO RECENT GROOMING ATTEMPT

In April 2019, a disturbing case involving Earl Whyman, a known sex offender from Sheffield, came to light when he was convicted and sentenced for attempting to meet a minor for sexual purposes. Whyman, aged 41 at the time, was found to have engaged in a series of illicit communications with an individual he believed to be a 14-year-old girl named ‘Ellie’.

These interactions took place between June and July of the previous year, after Whyman initiated contact through the SayHi chat application. The person behind the profile was actually part of an online paedophile hunter group aiming to expose individuals seeking to exploit minors. Despite this, Whyman exchanged phone numbers with the decoy and continued their conversation privately via WhatsApp.

Prosecutor Louise Gallagher explained to the court that Whyman appeared to be suspicious about the authenticity of ‘Ellie’s’ profile. He expressed doubts, suggesting that he thought he might be communicating with an adult decoy rather than a child. Whyman even told ‘Ellie’ that he believed her account was fake and accused her of trying to set him up. However, after a phone call with one of the group members operating the decoy account, his suspicions seemed to be alleviated.

The messages between Whyman and the decoy quickly escalated into sexual content. He asked her questions about her intentions, including when she planned to run away from home and move in with him so they could live as a couple. The situation intensified when they arranged to meet at Meadowhall shopping centre on July 6, 2018. Unfortunately, Whyman canceled the meeting due to family issues, but the decoy and her associate decided to confront him directly at his residence on July 8. The police were called, leading to his immediate arrest.

During the investigation, authorities seized Whyman’s electronic devices. Analysis revealed the presence of four videos classified as ‘extreme pornography,’ which involved acts of bestiality. These findings added to the severity of his criminal profile.

Whyman’s criminal history is extensive, dating back to 1994, with convictions for various sex offenses. Notably, in 2009, he was sentenced to three years in prison for inciting a girl under 16 to engage in sexual activity. Following this, he was placed on an extended license for three years due to being deemed ‘dangerous’ and was subject to an indefinite sexual harm prevention order designed to restrict his internet use and contact with minors. Despite these measures, Whyman breached the order in 2011.

He pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including attempting to meet a child under 16 after grooming, attempting to breach a sexual harm prevention order, and possession of extreme pornography. The case was heard by the Recorder of Sheffield, Judge Jeremy Richardson, who sentenced Whyman to 28 months in prison. The judge also issued a stern warning to online vigilante groups, emphasizing that such matters are best handled by law enforcement agencies. Judge Richardson acknowledged Whyman’s dangerousness but decided against imposing an extended license period, instead maintaining an indefinite sexual harm prevention order with strict conditions to protect the public.

In a separate but equally troubling case from September 2009, Whyman, then aged 31, was convicted of sexually assaulting two girls when he was 16. He later reoffended by grooming an 11-year-old girl, helping her set up a new family laptop in December of the previous year. Sheffield Crown Court heard that Whyman called the girl ‘sexy’ and a ‘sexy chick,’ making sexual suggestions through emails that indicated a clear sexual intent. He also asked her to be his ‘girlfriend’ and professed love for her.

On March 29, he invited the girl and her eight-year-old friend to his house on Spring Drive, Norfolk Park, where he sexually assaulted the girl while the younger child was downstairs. The court was told that Whyman had prior convictions for assaulting two 10-year-old girls in 1994, for which he received two years’ probation. After the recent incident, the girl disclosed the abuse to a child protection officer, leading to Whyman’s arrest.

Whyman claimed that his comments to the girl were platonic and that calling her his girlfriend was a joke. He admitted to going upstairs with her but insisted she had tried to kiss him, which he pushed away. Police found women’s underwear, including children’s knickers, under his bed, some of which he claimed to have found in the street.

He pleaded guilty to grooming, inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, and sexually assaulting a child. Judge Michael Murphy QC condemned his treatment of the girl, emphasizing her youth and lack of consent, and highlighted the importance of intervention by school staff. Whyman was sentenced to three years in prison, with an additional three years on license, and was disqualified from working with children for life. He was also ordered to register as a sex offender for life and was subjected to two sexual offences orders banning him from unsupervised contact with children and having children in his home.

These cases underscore the ongoing threat posed by Earl Whyman, whose criminal conduct spans decades and includes multiple violations of the law designed to protect minors. His repeated offenses and breaches of court orders highlight the importance of vigilant law enforcement and community awareness in safeguarding vulnerable individuals from predators like him.