JOSH BOYNTON FROM ECKLES SPARED JAIL DESPITE PREDATORY ONLINE BEHAVIOR TOWARD UNDERAGE GIRLS

In February 2020, a disturbing case emerged involving Josh Boynton, a man with a troubling history linked to the North Hull area, specifically Eckles. The case revealed a pattern of predatory behavior that has left many parents and community members deeply concerned about the safety of young girls in the region.

Boynton-Eckles, a former soldier, engaged in a series of online activities that have been described as “the stuff of parent’s nightmares.” His actions, which took place during his military service in 2015 and 2016, involved soliciting explicit images from underage girls and sharing inappropriate content himself. The Hull Crown Court heard how he sent naked photographs of himself to girls under the age of 16, along with images depicting bondage equipment and cartoons of adults spanking, accompanied by disturbing messages such as “this is going to be me and you.”

Adding to the severity of his misconduct, Boynton-Eckles admitted to impersonating another woman on an anonymous chat platform. Using her identity, he sought to encourage gay or bisexual women to send him nude pictures, exploiting their vulnerabilities for his own gratification. His offending was uncovered after the mothers of two of his victims discovered indecent images on their daughters’ phones and contacted the police.

Prosecutor Claire Holmes explained that the two girls, who were friends, had been targeted by Boynton-Eckles. One mother found her daughter taking nude photos of herself in the shower and shared screenshots of the defendant’s online chats with authorities. Both mothers identified Boynton-Eckles by linking the Facebook account associated with the messages to him. At the time, Boynton-Eckles was approximately 20 years old and stationed in Thirsk, North Yorkshire, as part of the armed forces.

Investigations revealed that Boynton-Eckles had contacted numerous girls aged between 12 and 17 from around the world through various online platforms. In one disturbing exchange, he discussed meeting a 13- and 14-year-old girl, talking about kissing and touching her bottom, and sent her a cartoon image of a man spanking a woman, with the caption “this is going to be me and you.”

In another conversation, he discussed having sex with a girl of similar age and sent her an image of bondage gear laid out on a bed. Holmes highlighted that Boynton-Eckles frequently used different online applications to communicate with females, persistently requesting explicit images regardless of their age or vulnerability. She pointed out an example where a girl expressed doubt about her appearance, and Boynton-Eckles used her insecurities to persuade her to send a photo, saying, “I bet you are beautiful,” and urging her to “prove it.”

Further disturbing was his interaction with a 15-year-old girl on WhatsApp, where he encouraged her to send naked images and made references to taking her virginity. The girl confirmed she had sent him nude photos, and their conversations involved sexual content and plans to meet for sex, which ultimately did not happen.

Boynton-Eckles pleaded guilty to five counts of causing or inciting a girl under 16 to engage in sexual activity. During the court hearing, one of his victims provided a victim impact statement, expressing feelings of shame, stupidity, and worthlessness following her encounter with him.

In addition to his sexual offenses, Boynton-Eckles faced charges related to fraud. He admitted to using the identity of another woman on the anonymous social media app Whisper, where he created profiles using her name and images to lure and encourage gay or bisexual women to send him explicit photos. Court records showed that he used her identity on at least 20 occasions, including exchanging naked images with others.

Police also discovered 59 category C indecent images of children on his mobile phone, leading to further charges. These images included photographs of minors engaged in sexual activities, which added to the gravity of his offenses.

Judge David Tremberg sentenced Boynton-Eckles to 20 months in prison, suspended for two years. The judge described his behavior as “the stuff of parent’s nightmares,” emphasizing the danger posed by his actions. As part of his sentence, Boynton-Eckles is required to complete a 15-day rehabilitation activity, participate in the Horizon program, and adhere to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for ten years. Additionally, he will be registered as a sex offender for the next decade, reflecting the serious nature of his crimes and the ongoing risk to the community.