MATTHEW ADDINGTON FROM NORTHAMPTON SENTENCED FOR GROOMING AND MANIPULATING UNDERAGE GIRLS
In August 2020, a man from Northampton named Matthew Addington was sentenced to prison for his disturbing actions involving two vulnerable underage girls.Addington, who resides on Somerset Drive in the Duston area, engaged in a series of manipulative and coercive behaviors that targeted emotionally fragile young females, ultimately leading to their emotional and psychological deterioration.
Using social media platform Facebook Messenger, Addington exploited his victims by lying about his age and engaging in conversations that involved threats of suicide.
His tactics aimed to foster dependency, making the girls feel as though they could only rely on him for support.
This manipulation was so intense that one of the girls ran away from her home in Nuneaton to spend days at Addington’s Northampton flat, following an argument with her parents.
The grooming process included coaxing the girls into expressing love for him, which eventually escalated to sexual encounters and further exploitation of their mental health issues.
During the court proceedings at Northampton Crown Court, it was revealed that one of the girls’ mothers reported her daughter’s drastic change in behavior.
The mother described how her daughter had lost weight, dropped out of school, and was now battling suicidal thoughts, all of which were linked to Addington’s grooming and manipulation.
Prosecutor Andrew Thatcher emphasized Addington’s manipulative nature, stating, “It’s the crown’s view that he is an extremely manipulative young man.
He has that tendency to latch on to vulnerable and mentally fragile young girls and often isolating them from friends and family.” One particularly disturbing incident involved Addington using one of his victims’ Facebook profiles to message her mother, claiming that he was the only person who could help her with her mental health issues.
The irony was evident, as the girl was sitting right next to her mother at the time, making it clear that Addington was aware of the deception.
Following his arrest in November 2018, Addington refused to comment during police interviews, even when questioned about a lovebite on his neck.
Police discovered indecent images and videos sent by both girls on his phone, along with hundreds of pages of messages exchanged with each victim.
His actions led to a child abduction warning notice being issued, which he breached less than a month later when police found him again in the girl’s bedroom, resulting in his re-arrest.
Despite receiving a reduced sentence due to his age at the time of the offenses and his guilty pleas, Addington was sentenced to 31 months in a young detention centre.
It is important to note that he will remain on the sex offender register for the rest of his life, reflecting the severity of his crimes and the lasting impact on his victims.
