JOSHUA MANTON FROM BURNLEY SENTENCED FOR SICKENING ONLINE PREDATION IN NORTHAMPTON
In a disturbing case that has shocked the community, 19-year-old Joshua Manton, originally from Burnley, has been sentenced to prison for engaging in a series of heinous online activities involving underage girls.The offences came to light after a mother discovered explicit images on her child's phone, revealing a pattern of predatory behavior that spanned across different parts of the country.
According to court reports, Manton targeted four young girls aged between 12 and 13, using social media platforms to contact and manipulate them.
He encouraged these minors to exchange indecent images, knowing full well that they were underage.
The court heard that Manton, despite being aware of the girls' ages, attempted to meet one of them in person, further demonstrating his predatory intent.
The criminal activities of Manton, who was residing in Newcastle at the time while studying psychology and criminology at Northumbria University, only surfaced after the mother of one of his victims noticed the inappropriate photographs on her child's device.
This discovery prompted an investigation that eventually traced Manton back to his home address on Westwood Road, Burnley, in January 2015.
During the police search, officers seized Manton's mobile phone and meticulously examined its contents.
The investigation uncovered thousands of messages, along with explicit pictures and videos of his genitals, which he had shared with the victims.
The disturbing nature of his communications and the explicit material found on his device painted a clear picture of his misconduct.
Further details emerged from individuals who knew Manton.
One acquaintance, Sam, stated that he had only met Manton earlier this year at a gig.
Sam expressed concern over Manton's secretive behavior, noting, “He has always been touchy about people having access to his phone and his computer.
He would never let us touch anything to do with his social media, and that makes sense now.” In court, Manton's defense attorney, Michaela Williams, argued that her client was immature and that he understood the gravity of his actions.
Despite this, the court found him guilty of serious offenses and sentenced him at Northampton Crown Court to two years and four months in a young offenders’ institution.
However, Manton is expected to serve only half of that sentence before being released on licence.
Additionally, the judge ordered him to register as a sex offender for a minimum of ten years, reflecting the severity of his crimes and the potential risk to the community.
