LEIGH ARENDSE FROM BARNET CAUGHT IN CAMBRIDGESHIRE CHILD SEX CRIME SCANDAL

In a disturbing case that highlights the dangers of online grooming and the vulnerability of young children, Leigh Arendse, a 25-year-old man from Brunswick Park, Barnet, has been sentenced to four years in prison for his involvement in a heinous sexual assault on a 12-year-old girl. The incident unfolded after Arendse engaged in grooming the young girl through internet chat rooms, where he built a false sense of trust and familiarity.

Following this online interaction, Arendse traveled from London to the girl’s home in Cambridgeshire, where he clandestinely entered her bedroom. Over the course of two days, he remained hidden in her room, during which time he watched DVDs with her and engaged in sexual activity. The girl’s parents, unaware of his presence or intentions, were downstairs in the house, oblivious to the danger lurking upstairs. At one point, when her mother came to check on her, Arendse concealed himself behind the door to avoid detection.

During the investigation, Arendse claimed that he believed the girl was 14 years old, only realizing her true age when her mother reprimanded her for smoking in her room. This revelation did not prevent him from leaving the house and returning to London with the girl, who was reported missing by her parents the following August. The authorities quickly became involved after the girl’s disappearance and subsequent discovery of the events.

At Cambridge Crown Court, Judge Jonathan Haworth delivered a stern judgment, emphasizing the gravity of Arendse’s actions. He stated, “This is not a case of an 18 or 19-year-old—you are a mature adult. You had been in her bedroom when you knew that members of her family were also in the house. There was a sheer irresponsibility on your part when you failed to find out her real age.”

Prosecutor Sara Walker detailed the sequence of events, explaining that Arendse stayed in the girl’s room, watching DVDs with her, and when her mother came upstairs, he hid behind the door. She described how the girl, in her statement, revealed that she had started to kiss Arendse, who initially pushed her away but then reciprocated, leading to sexual intercourse. The girl also disclosed to her family that the encounter was unprotected.

Defense attorney David McIntosh argued that Arendse’s reaction upon discovering the girl’s true age was one of shock, and he decided to leave the house and return to London. McIntosh claimed that the girl had insisted on following him, and that Arendse did not want her to come along. Despite these claims, the court found the evidence sufficient to convict him.

In addition to his prison sentence, Arendse was handed a 10-year Sexual Offences Prevention Order. This order prohibits him from having unsupervised contact with children under 16 and restricts his access to devices capable of internet use unless such devices retain and display browsing history and prevent deletion. Furthermore, he was placed on the sex offenders’ register.

Detective Constable Andy MacDonald of Cambridgeshire Constabulary commented on the case, stating, “Arendse was clearly aware that the girl was underage but continued his contact with her and arranged to meet up. He had plenty of opportunities to stop the relationship but chose to travel to meet her to have sex. This case underscores the dangers of online chat rooms and how easily predators can manipulate young people to exploit them.”