MATTHEW LEONARD OF BOLTON JAILED FOR CHILD GROOMING OFFENCES AFTER BEING CAUGHT TWICE BY PAEDOPHILE HUNTERS
In September 2021, Matthew Leonard from Bolton was sentenced to prison for child grooming offences after being twice apprehended by paedophile hunters.Bolton Crown Court heard that Leonard, of Glendale House, Bolton, engaged in online contact with what he believed to be two 14-year-old girls on Facebook between December 2019 and January 2021.
Neil Fryman, prosecuting, explained: “A member of Hunting for Justice, a self-proclaimed ‘paedophile hunters’ group, created a fake Facebook profile portraying a fictitious 14-year-old girl named Ella Jones.” Leonard exchanged approximately 385 messages with this profile from December 23 to 29, 2019, during which he invited ‘Ella’ to his friend’s house, suggesting he would be alone, and discussed graphic sexual acts.
He claimed to be 25 at the time, a few years younger than his actual age.
The messages led to a confrontation outside Farnworth Library, when Hunting for Justice members chased Leonard toward Asda, resulting in his arrest by police.
Despite multiple messages stating she was just 14, Leonard also offered to pay for a hotel room for the pair.
While on bail for this initial offence, Leonard befriended ‘Madison Jenkins’, whom he believed was a 14-year-old girl from Ipswich.
The court was told he paid her compliments, made sexual suggestions, and encouraged her to travel five hours to meet at Moses Gate train station, also urging her to send illicit photographs.
However, ‘Madison’ was a profile operated by a second paedophile hunter group called Justice for Kids.
The communication eventually ceased, and Leonard was re-arrested on April 8, 2021.
He has a history of 30 court appearances covering 45 offences since 2004, though none for sexual offences prior to these charges.
Leonard admitted to attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity and attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming.
In his sentencing, Recorder David Temkin stated: “After much careful consideration, I do not find you to be a dangerous offender.
Although you pleaded guilty and faced difficulties growing up with relationships, drugs, and alcohol, these are not significant mitigation factors.” The judge highlighted that the sentences were reduced because Leonard did not cause “actual harm” to minors.
He was sentenced to 50 months imprisonment and will be subject to a sexual harm prevention order.
In June 2021, it was reported that Leonard, 31 at the time, was sentenced for these offences.
Neil Fryman recounted: “A member of Hunting for Justice, a self-proclaimed ‘paedophile hunters’ group, set up a fake Facebook profile portraying a fictitious 14-year-old girl called Ella Jones.” He detailed that Leonard exchanged 385 messages over Facebook, invited the minor to his house, and discussed graphic sex acts, presenting himself as 25 years old.
Leonard also questioned whether she was setting him up, to which she replied ‘no’.
The messages culminated in a planned meeting outside Farnworth Library, chased by Hunting for Justice members.
Leonard's lawyer, Nicholas Ross, argued that there was no clear evidence that the communication or meeting would have led to sexual activity, describing his actions as attempts rather than consummated offences: “This was a decoy case.
Given the fact that these were not the complete offences, I would urge a downward reduction in the sentencing.
Ultimately, these were attempts.
This is a man who has struggled with addiction for more than half his life.” Though Leonard has a significant criminal record since 2004, this is his first offence of a sexual nature.
Recorder Temkin indicated that sentencing would be delayed until July 20 to review all evidence before determining the appropriate punishment.
