MARTIN SAGE FROM ROCHESTER JAILED FOR CHILD SEXUAL EXPLOITATION IN MANCHESTER

In a significant case highlighting the dangers of online grooming and child exploitation, Martin Sage, a man from Rochester in Kent, has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for his heinous crimes involving a young girl. The conviction followed a thorough investigation conducted by a specialized police unit based in Tameside, which focused on tackling child sexual exploitation cases.

Martin Sage was found guilty at Manchester’s Minshull Street Crown Court of multiple serious offenses related to child sexual abuse. The court also imposed an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order on him, aiming to prevent any future harm and to restrict his contact with minors.

The criminal case revealed that Sage first initiated contact with his victim in 2011, when she was only 13 years old. This contact was made through an online computer game, a platform increasingly exploited by predators to target vulnerable children. Over time, Sage engaged in grooming behaviors, gradually manipulating the girl through persistent communication, affection, and control tactics. His goal was to build trust and emotional dependence, which ultimately led her to agree to meet him in person.

Throughout their online interactions, Sage continued to manipulate the girl, exploiting her innocence and trust to satisfy his own sexual desires. The grooming process persisted until she was 15, at which point he arranged to meet her in person. Despite knowing her age, Sage proceeded to meet her and committed the act of rape during this encounter. The court heard that he continued to exploit and manipulate her, engaging in sexual activity with her until she reached the age of 15.

In a prior hearing, Sage, aged 44 at the time, pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including meeting a child following sexual grooming, causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child, and taking indecent photographs of a child. These charges underscore the severity of his actions and the extent of his criminal behavior.

The case was part of a broader initiative called Project Phoenix, established to enhance the response of Greater Manchester Police to cases of child sexual exploitation. This operation aims to protect vulnerable children and bring offenders like Sage to justice, highlighting the ongoing efforts to combat online grooming and child abuse in the region.