JOSH BOYNTON-ECKLES SENTENCED IN HULL FOR CHILD SEX OFFENCES AND FRAUD
A former soldier who encouraged underage girls to send him nude images has received a suspended sentence, avoiding immediate imprisonment.Josh Boynton-Eckles, who was serving in the military during 2015 and 2016, engaged in behaviour described as nightmare material for parents.
Hull Crown Court was told that Boynton-Eckles, of North Hull, sent explicit photos of himself to girls under 16, along with images of bondage gear and cartoons depicting adults spanking, accompanied by comments like 'this is going to be me and you.' The 24-year-old also admitted to impersonating another woman on an anonymous chat platform to persuade gay or bisexual women to send him nude pictures.
His misconduct was uncovered after the mothers of two of his victims found indecent images on their daughters' phones.
Prosecutor Claire Holmes explained, 'Their daughters, who were friends, had been taking nude photos of themselves in the shower, and the mothers posted screenshots of the defendant’s chat conversations to the police.' Both mothers identified Boynton-Eckles through a Facebook profile linked to the messages.
At the time, Boynton-Eckles was approximately 20 years old and stationed at Thirsk in North Yorkshire.
An investigation revealed he had contacted multiple girls aged between 12 and 17 worldwide via online platforms.
Concerning interactions included one victim, aged 13 and 14 at the time, where he discussed kissing and touching her, and sent her a cartoon image of a man spanking a woman with the caption 'this is going to be me and you.' With another girl of similar age, he discussed having sex and sent images of bondage toys on a bed.
Holmes stated, 'He regularly chatted with females using various online applications, repeatedly asking for images and exploiting their vulnerability.' Holmes further added, 'He was not deterred by their ages or vulnerability and used their insecurities to obtain the images.
For example, with one complainant, she expressed doubt about how she looked, and he responded with ‘I bet you are beautiful,’ then urged her to prove it.' Additionally, Boynton-Eckles encouraged a 15-year-old girl via WhatsApp to send him nude photos, discussing the possibility of meeting for sex and referencing taking her virginity.
The girl confirmed she had sent nude images and that their conversations were sexual, but she stated no meeting took place.
Following his guilty pleas to five counts of causing or inciting a girl under 16 to engage in sexual activity, he appeared in court for sentencing.
One victim’s statement expressed shame, saying it made her feel stupid and worthless.
Boynton-Eckles also faced charges of fraud after admitting to impersonating a woman on the Whisper app.
Prosecutor Holmes explained, 'He used her name and images to create a profile, encouraging other women to send him nude photos.' Police discovered 20 instances where he used this woman’s identity, including exchanging explicit images with others.
Some of these involved sharing photos of the woman himself.
The court also found 59 category C images of children on his phone, leading to additional charges.
Mitigating lawyer Keith Allen noted that Boynton-Eckles ceased his inappropriate behaviour after another soldier sent him indecent images and reported it to military authorities.
He highlighted that Boynton-Eckles had cooperated and handed over devices for investigation.
A psychologist’s report suggested childhood trauma contributed to his difficulties in relating to peers and trusting others, leading to social withdrawal and low mood, which in turn made online interactions with young girls more appealing.
Judge David Tremberg sentenced Boynton-Eckles to 20 months in prison, suspended for two years.
The judge described his actions as 'nightmare material for parents,' emphasizing that he exploited and groomed at least three girls, encouraging sexual activity and exchanging indecent photographs.
The judge also noted Boynton-Eckles’ involvement in identity fraud and his dissemination of child images.
The court ordered him to complete 15 days of rehabilitation, participate in the Horizon programme, and remain a registered sex offender for ten years, subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for the same period.
