September 2017 Pervert jailed for sexual abuse and possessing illegal images of children A teenage girl was targeted by a paedophile over the internet but she then “blackmailed” £2,000 from him, a court has heard. And when detectives went to speak to the victim, she refused to co-operate with the investigation into caterer Owen Rees’ vile behaviour. But police were still able to bring a case against Rees, of William Judge Close, in Tenterden, after police colleagues in the North West discovered he had been involved with others in sharing illegal images and grooming youngsters over Skype. Now the 36-year-old loner has received a 13-year sentence after admitting nine charges of sexual abuse and possessing illegal images of children. Canterbury Crown Court heard how Rees – who was in Morocco at the time of the investigation – was arrested at Gatwick Airport in August 2016. Prosecutor Ben Irwin said that during questioning Rees admitted having sex chats via social media, believing that many of those he was communicating with were children as young as 10 years old. The court heard how the pervert urged some of those he was chatting with to carry out sex acts with others, and the court heard that some of the conversations were depraved. He admitted that he knew it was illegal and wrong and he knew he would be caught. Rees confessed to meeting up with one child in London, and after they had sex in a hotel she began blackmailing him, taking £2,000 in cash from him. But Mr Irwin told Judge James O’Mahony that when officers tracked down the child, she denied knowing Rees and refused to help. After ruling Rees was dangerous, the judge gave him a nine-year immediate jail sentence and then added another four years to be served on licence when he is finally released. Judge O’Mahony also asked the police to assure him in writing that the child victim was being protected.