PHILIP MANSFIELD FROM CHADDERTON JAILED FOR SEXUAL EXPLOITATION IN MANCHESTER

In April 2017, a disturbing case unfolded involving Philip Mansfield, a 54-year-old man from Chadderton, who was sentenced to two years in prison after being found guilty of serious sexual offenses against two young boys in Manchester. Mansfield, who worked as a security guard at Minshull Street Crown Court, engaged in a pattern of manipulative and exploitative behavior that left the victims, aged just 14 and 15 at the time, in states of emotional distress and turmoil.

His misconduct began in September 2015, after one of the boys created a Grindr account and reached out to others, asking if they could purchase e-cigarette liquid for him. Mansfield responded to the message and arranged to meet the boy, subsequently inviting him to his residence. Over the course of several meetings, Mansfield engaged in sexual activities with the young boy, during which he bought him a £90 e-cigarette and diving equipment worth £100. These exchanges marked the start of a series of inappropriate encounters that would escalate in both frequency and severity.

Following these initial meetings, the boy confided in his best friend, also a schoolboy studying for his GCSEs, about his interactions with Mansfield. This led to both boys meeting Mansfield together on multiple occasions. During these visits, Mansfield provided alcohol—vodka and cider—and takeaway pizza, further entrenching his manipulative tactics. He also bought one of the boys a pair of trainers, expressing a disturbing sentiment: 'I wish you were my son — I’d be so proud.'

Investigations later revealed that Mansfield had taken explicit photographs and videos of the abuse, claiming ignorance of the victims' ages. Police discovered 67 indecent images of the boys stored on his computer. The arrest was triggered when the mother of one of the boys noticed messages from Mansfield on her son's phone, inviting him for a sleepover. She contacted Mansfield, identifying herself as the mother, and was met with denial and a dismissive attitude, telling her to 'do what you have to do' when she threatened to involve the police.

At the time, the boy was at Mansfield’s house, and Mansfield sent him home while texting the other boy to alert him that the mother was aware of their activities. Mansfield later claimed he believed both boys were 16 and admitted to having unprotected sex with them. Both victims underwent medical tests following the incidents.

Emotional reactions from the boys' mothers highlighted the profound impact of Mansfield’s actions. One mother expressed her anger and frustration, saying, 'I get angry and want to get hold of my son and ask why has it happened and why had he let this happen? I do try and hide how I feel from him because it’s an important year for him but I feel I have let him down. I want to let him have freedom but I can’t let this happen again.' The other mother described her feelings of despair and rage, recounting how her son, once trusting and vulnerable, was deeply affected. She shared her heartbreak, saying, 'It’s like he’s starting to understand what happened was not right.'

During the court proceedings at Manchester Crown Court, Mansfield, a resident of Chadderton, Oldham, pleaded guilty to two counts of causing or inciting the sexual exploitation of a child. Judge Patrick Field QC sentenced him to two years in prison and imposed a ten-year ban on working with children through a Sexual Harm Prevention Order. Prosecutor Miss Lisa Boocock detailed the extent of Mansfield’s misconduct, including his attempts to deceive the boys’ parents about their ages, his collection of explicit images, and his repeated efforts to photograph and video the boys during their meetings.

She highlighted that one of the boys had expressed feelings of guilt and fear, stating, 'It’s made me feel bad, it’s all just bad. I’ve felt bad thinking about why did I let it happen. It’s made me feel like it could happen again and such I don’t go out anymore. I was scared I thought I might get rejected from society. It happened, I can’t change it. I just feel very s***.' The court recognized the profound harm caused by Mansfield’s actions, emphasizing the exploitation and emotional damage inflicted upon the victims. Mansfield’s actions have left a lasting scar on the young boys and their families, and the court’s sentence reflects the seriousness of his offenses and the need to protect vulnerable children from similar harm in the future.