HOVE MAN MARTIN LATIMER SENTENCED FOR SEXUAL OFFENCES IN ESSEX

In a disturbing case that highlights the dangers of online predators, Martin Latimer, a 36-year-old resident of Connaught Road, Hove, East Sussex, has been sentenced to three years in prison for attempting to commit sexual offences against a minor in Essex. The incident unfolded in April 2019 when Latimer traveled from Hove to Pitsea, Essex, with the intent of meeting a girl he believed to be just 13 years old.

Latimer had made arrangements to meet the young girl after engaging in online conversations over a period of five weeks. During their digital exchanges, he had sent explicit photographs and videos of himself performing sexual acts, further indicating his intent to exploit the minor. His preparations for the meeting included booking a hotel room in Pitsea, where he planned to carry out his malicious intentions.

On April 27, 2019, Latimer booked a bed and breakfast accommodation in Pitsea and traveled there by train. He carried a bag containing sex toys, chocolate, and an unopened packet of girls’ underwear, items that suggest premeditation and a desire to carry out sexual acts. He believed he was going to meet a 13-year-old girl he had been chatting with online, but in reality, the individual he was communicating with was an undercover police officer.

His arrest took place at The Nazeing in Basildon, Essex, where officers from the Police Online Investigation Team apprehended him. Following his arrest, Latimer was charged with multiple child sexual offences, including facilitating and arranging a child sex offence, causing a child to watch a sexual act, and engaging a child in sexual chat.

Latimer appeared at Basildon Crown Court on May 28, 2019, where he pleaded guilty to the charges. His guilty plea was accepted, and he was subsequently sentenced on September 4, 2019. The court’s decision underscores the serious nature of his actions and the importance of safeguarding minors from online predators. This case serves as a stark reminder of the dangers posed by online grooming and the vigilance required to protect vulnerable children from exploitation.