KEITH BUTCHER WICKFORD INTERNET PREDATOR SENTENCED FOR SEXUAL OFFENCES INVOLVING TEENAGE GIRLS

In a disturbing case that highlights the dangers of online predation, Keith Butcher, a 36-year-old man from Wickford, has been sentenced to six years in prison for his involvement in grooming and exploiting young girls over the internet. The case unfolded over a period of months, during which Butcher targeted two teenage victims through online chat platforms, demonstrating a calculated pattern of predatory behavior.

His first victim was a 12-year-old girl, whom he contacted via a chatroom. Over several months, Butcher engaged in manipulative tactics, gradually building a sense of trust with the young girl. His intentions became increasingly sinister as he attempted to persuade her to perform sexual acts on a webcam. Despite his efforts to lure her into meeting him or to obtain her personal contact details such as her address and phone number, he was ultimately unsuccessful in these endeavors. However, he did succeed in convincing her to expose part of her body on the webcam, an act that marked a serious breach of trust and a criminal offense.

Approximately three months after the initial incident, in September of the same year, Butcher turned his attention to a second victim, this time a 15-year-old girl. His online predation continued, revealing a disturbing pattern of exploiting vulnerable minors for sexual gratification. The details of this second case further underscored the extent of his criminal behavior.

At Basildon Crown Court, Judge Rupert Overbury delivered a stern judgment, condemning Butcher’s actions. The judge stated, “In my judgement, you manipulated these young girls to the extent these offences were committed via a webcam. You manipulated the situation almost to the extent of meeting these children. Luckily, you didn’t because their parents intervened.” The judge emphasized that Butcher’s behavior was driven by a sexual desire for contact with children, and he was willing to take significant risks to satisfy these deviant urges.

It was revealed that Butcher committed these offenses while already under a sexual offences prevention order, which had been imposed following his previous conviction for possessing child pornography in October 2006. Despite being under supervision and subject to monitoring, he continued to seek contact with minors, demonstrating a blatant disregard for legal restrictions.

In light of his repeated offenses, Judge Overbury imposed a lifelong order on Butcher, mandating his registration on the sex offenders’ register for life. The court also ordered the destruction of his computer hard drive to prevent further misuse of digital devices for illegal activities. The judge remarked, “Despite the fact you were being supervised by the probation service and despite the fact the police were entitled to enter your home to monitor your movements, you were determined to have contact with children for your own sexual gratification.”

Furthermore, the new legal restrictions prohibit Butcher from seeking or being in the company of anyone under 16 unless accompanied by a parent or guardian. He is also effectively barred from using the internet or electronic communication devices to contact minors, and from associating or communicating with other convicted sex offenders. Butcher admitted to causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity, as well as breaching his sex offender’s order on two counts, highlighting the severity of his criminal conduct.