MATTHEW LECKEY SENTENCED IN BELFAST FOR SEXUAL OFFENSES INVOLVING 13-YEAR-OLD GIRL
In a case that has shocked the Belfast community, 22-year-old Matthew Leckey was sentenced to 18 months in prison following his conviction for engaging in sexual activities with a minor.The incident came to light after Leckey, a resident of Cairndale in the Forthriver Drive area, met a girl through Facebook in December of the previous year.
He initially believed her to be 18, as she claimed on her profile, and they began exchanging sexually explicit messages, which eventually led to a face-to-face meeting in the northern part of Belfast.
According to court proceedings, the two met in a secluded area behind a bush, where they engaged in sexual activity.
However, their encounter was cut short due to the presence of other people nearby.
The girl then suggested they take a bus to Leckey’s flat on Ballygomartin Road.
It was during this bus journey that Leckey first learned of her true age when she requested a child's bus ticket.
Sitting together and holding hands, the teenager confided in Leckey, revealing that she was only 13 years old.
Despite this revelation, Leckey chose to continue the relationship and took her back to his flat, where he engaged in sexual acts with her on two separate occasions.
The following day, the girl’s family became concerned when she did not return home.
Her departure was marked by her telling her aunt and Leckey “love you,” which added to the family’s worries.
The girl’s family reported her missing, prompting an investigation that eventually uncovered the details of the sexual encounters.
Leckey was arrested and interviewed by police.
During questioning, he claimed that the girl had “jumped him” upon arriving at his flat and insisted that all sexual contact had been consensual.
However, the evidence presented in court proved otherwise.
Leckey pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual activity with a child involving penetration, relating to incidents that occurred between December 6 and December 9, 2011.
Judge David McFarland of Belfast Crown Court sentenced Leckey to a total of 18 months in prison, with the sentence split evenly between custody and license.
Additionally, the court ordered Leckey to register as a sex offender for the next ten years.
A further ten-year sexual offences prevention order was imposed, prohibiting him from having unsupervised contact with anyone under the age of 16 without explicit written consent from their parents or guardians.
This case underscores the importance of protecting young people from exploitation and highlights the legal consequences faced by those who violate these protections in Belfast.
