NATHAN KENNEDY FROM BOLTON JAILED FOR GROOMING YOUNG GIRLS ONLINE
In August 2021, Nathan Kennedy, a man from Bolton, was convicted and sentenced for engaging in disturbing online communications with minors, revealing a troubling pattern of predatory behavior.The case unfolded after Kennedy, aged 34, initiated contact with what he believed to be a 13-year-old girl named Missi on the children’s section of the website Chat-Avenue.
Kennedy used the username UK Predator, leaving little doubt about his intentions from the outset.
Prosecutor Rachel White detailed how the conversations quickly turned sexualized.
Kennedy asked Missi if she had ever been with an older man, and the exchanges continued on WhatsApp, where he sent explicit photographs of himself, discussed meeting in a hotel, and expressed a desire to know her location so he could arrange train tickets.
He even offered to obtain the morning-after pill for her, openly acknowledging that his actions constituted grooming and warning that he could face imprisonment because what he was doing was unlawful.
During the chats, Missi introduced Kennedy to a fictitious 13-year-old cousin named Sophie.
Kennedy expressed interest in “fooling around” with all three of them and later contacted Sophie via WhatsApp, discussing sex and offering to buy her clothes and shoes.
Under the alias Marcus, Kennedy re-engaged with Missi, with conversations mostly focused on ensuring she kept their chats secret and probing about her family, including her mother.
He even asked if he could drive to her address to have sex with her and her mother.
On December 6, 2019, paedophile hunters tracked Kennedy to his home in Wythenshawe, where they confronted him after arranging a fictitious parcel delivery.
The encounter was filmed and live-streamed on Facebook.
Police officers arrived at the scene, arrested Kennedy, and seized his tablet and computer, which contained evidence of his communications with Missi and Sophie.
Kennedy claimed he had lost his phone and suggested that someone else might have accessed his social media accounts.
Following his arrest, Kennedy was released on bail while investigations continued.
However, on May 27 of the following year, he initiated contact with a 12-year-old girl named ‘Becca’ on Chat-Avenue, using the username Yes Please.
He expressed his liking for young girls and asked if Becca was alone, revealing that his last girlfriend was 12 years old.
Kennedy continued to chat with her over the next few days, believing he was speaking to a child, and offered to buy her gifts.
He referred to himself as a “nice paedo” and engaged in increasingly explicit conversations via WhatsApp and Kik Messenger, instructing her to perform sex acts on herself.
Police traced the messages back to Kennedy, leading to his arrest on July 5 at his home on Vickerman Street, Bolton.
It was revealed that Kennedy had previous convictions for burglary and robbery.
During the court proceedings, he pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including three counts of attempted sexual communication with a child, two counts of attempting to cause a child to engage in sexual activity, and three counts of attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity.
Judge Elizabeth Nicholls sentenced Kennedy to two years and nine months in prison.
Additionally, he was placed under a sexual harm prevention order and will be on the sex offenders’ register for life.
Addressing Kennedy directly, the judge emphasized the severity of his actions, stating, “You knew full well what you were doing was illegal.
You obviously have a predilection for children.” The case highlights the ongoing dangers posed by online predators and the importance of vigilant law enforcement efforts to protect vulnerable minors from exploitation.
