PAUL COLLINS FROM CROYDON SENTENCED FOR SEXUAL OFFENSES INVOLVING 15-YEAR-OLD GIRL IN BOLTON

In a disturbing case that highlights the dangers of online grooming and child exploitation, Paul Collins, a 40-year-old man from Croydon, was sentenced to nearly three years in prison for engaging in sexual activities with a 15-year-old girl. The incident unfolded after Collins had groomed the young girl through social networking sites, leading to a series of troubling events that culminated in their meeting in Bolton.

According to court records, the girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, had created profiles on gothic-themed social platforms such as tagged.com and vampirefreaks.com in October 2007. It was during this online interaction that she was befriended by a user claiming to be Paul, who stated he was 32 years old. Despite the girl’s clear indication of her age and her lack of interest in engaging in sexual activities, Collins persisted in his attempts to manipulate her.

Prosecutors revealed that Collins, who was 38 at the time, convinced the girl to meet him in person. On November 1, 2007, Collins traveled from Croydon to Bolton, where he met the girl in person. The court heard that the two then went to Haslam Park in Deane, where they engaged in consensual sexual activity behind a hedge. The following morning, they visited the girl’s friend’s house, where they had sex again. Afterward, Collins took the girl home, and his presence was captured on CCTV footage at her residence.

The girl confided in her father about what had transpired, prompting him to contact the police. The only solid lead the authorities had was the CCTV image of Collins at the girl’s home. Despite circulating the image widely, police did not manage to locate Collins until May 2009. When officers finally searched his Croydon residence, they inquired about any indecent images of children on his computer. Collins admitted to possessing “masses” of such material, which led to the discovery of a staggering 1,460 indecent images, including videos.

During the trial at Bolton Crown Court, Judge William Morris addressed Collins directly, stating, “You represent a real and serious risk to children. You had all these images on your computer and you acted upon your interest in young girls.”

Defense lawyer Ian Simkin described Collins as a depressive individual with low intelligence, who had led an isolated life and struggled to form normal adult relationships. Collins ultimately pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including sexual grooming, two counts of sexual activity with a child, ten counts of making indecent images of children, and one count of possessing such images. His conviction underscores the grave nature of his offenses and the ongoing threat posed by individuals who exploit vulnerable minors online.