Bolton: Sex offender targeted 'vulnerable child' on Grindr app

Martyn Alcock, 63, was already on the sex offenders register for an offence he committed 10 years ago when he began messaging the 14-year-old boy on dating app Grindr.

He then went on to make the teenager perform sex acts, while Alcock, of Oldhams Terrace, Bolton, watched for his own sexual pleasure, Bolton Crown Court heard.

The case was heard at Bolton Crown Court (Image: Newsquest)

Phil Hall, prosecuting, said: “He told Mr Alcock that he didn’t want to be there, that he wanted to go home."

But Mr Alcock told him to perform a sex act on him, the court heard.

Mr Hall told the court how Alcock asked his victims for explicit videos of him undressing, showering and performing sex acts, giving him vouchers in return.

His use of sex toys had also caused the boy significant injury.

According to Mr Hall, Alcock’s messages progressed from Grindr to WhatsApp and he continued to send the boy explicit messages even after he knew that he was only aged 14.

Alcock’s campaign of sex abuse only came to an ended when the boy told the officers what had been done to him.

He was then arrested and, after initially answering no comment in police interviews, pleaded guilty to sexual activity with a child and to breaching his sexual harm prevention order.

Andrea Locke, defending, argued that Alcock was entitled to credit for his guilty plea and pointed out that other than his offence in 2013 he had no previous convictions to his name.

She told the court that he was "genuinely remorseful" for his actions and the devastating effect they had had on his victim and was sincere in his desire for rehabilitation.

In arguing for his sentence to be reduced, Ms Locke said she was "asking for something which gives this man hope".

Though he acknowledged that Alcock had not troubled the police or the criminal justice system for most of his life, Recorder Nicholas Clarke KC reminded the court of the harm Alcock had done.

In particular, he addressed the lasting psychological damage that he had done to his victim.

Addressing the defendant, he said: “He was a vulnerable child.”

He added: “There is no doubt that you have long continuing attraction to young boys.”

Recorder Clarke sentenced Alcock to a total of six years and eight months in prison and hit him with a sexual harm prevention order and notification requirement that will be in place for the rest of his life.

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Speaking after the hearing, DC Kirsty Kaye of the Bolton Child Protection Unit said she was glad to the defendant dealt with in this way.

She said: “I had already been involved with this offender the first time he had been brought to court in 2013 and I’m very glad to see another dangerous individual taken off the streets.

“I hope that this will be of some comfort and reassurance to the victim and his family.”