A 22-year-old Wigan man who posed as a teenage boy to sexually abuse dozens of children online has been sentenced to 14 years in prison, in what Greater Manchester Police describe as one of their largest multi-victim online child sexual abuse cases.
Stuart Latham deceived at least 41 young victims across Britain by pretending to be a 14-year-old boy on Snapchat, promising cash or gift cards in exchange for indecent images before blackmailing them with threats to leak the material. The case highlights the growing crisis of online child exploitation, with recent NSPCC data showing a staggering 89 per cent increase in grooming crimes against children over the past six years.
Preston Crown Court heard on Friday how Latham targeted children as young as 11, with victims spanning from Scotland to Bournemouth. The court convicted him on 49 charges including rape, blackmail, making indecent images and causing a child to engage in sexual activity.
“You have taken the child in me away from me,” one victim told Latham directly during sentencing, her words cutting through the courtroom as she delivered her impact statement.
The sophisticated grooming operation saw Latham using fake profile pictures and posting advertisements on Snapchat offering £200 gift cards to girls who would “help him out” by sending explicit images. Once he obtained the material, he would threaten to release it if victims asked for deletion or refused further demands.
Detective Inspector from Greater Manchester Police’s Online Child Abuse Investigation Team said the force had seen “a significant rise” in such cases. The unit, comprising four detective sergeants and 28 detective constables when fully staffed, handled 116 arrests last year alone, marking an increase from previous years.
Latham met one of his victims, aged just 12 at the time, when he was 19 years old. He told her he was 15, establishing what she believed was her first serious relationship before sexually assaulting her in person. The court heard how this victim broke down whilst reading her statement, describing how her heart dropped when she discovered the extent of his crimes against other girls.
A second victim who Latham abused in person addressed him with remarkable courage, stating: “I want you to realise I will never forget this. You have changed me.”
When police arrested Latham, they discovered a phone hidden in the back of a wardrobe containing thousands of child sex abuse images, including Snapchat messages and videos lasting up to an hour. The sheer volume of material underscores the industrial scale of his offending.
The case exposes the particular dangers posed by Snapchat’s disappearing message feature. Recent NSPCC research reveals that 48 per cent of online grooming cases where the platform was identified occurred on Snapchat, with the charity recording 7,062 Sexual Communication with a Child offences in 2023/24.
“Snapchat’s design features make it incredibly difficult to track inappropriate behaviour,” explained Mark Jones, a partner at law firm Payne Hicks Beach. “The platform claims it can recover some user data, but the images themselves are often lost.”
Greater Manchester Police believe there may be additional victims beyond British borders, with potential cases in the United States. The force is actively encouraging anyone else targeted by Latham to come forward, emphasising that support is available regardless of when the abuse occurred.
The sentencing comes as Greater Manchester continues to strengthen its approach to tackling child sexual exploitation. A recent inspection by His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services found the force had made “considerable effort” to support survivors, though acknowledged that for some, trust and confidence in police remained irreparably damaged from historical failures.
Deputy Mayor for Safer and Stronger Communities Kate Green emphasised the collaborative nature of modern safeguarding efforts. “It is because of the strength of our joint working that we are now able to better protect children from the most appalling and horrific abuse,” she said, noting ongoing improvements across the region’s safeguarding systems.
The Online Safety Act, which comes into full force in 2025, will impose new duties on social media companies to protect children. However, critics argue these measures arrive too late for Latham’s victims. Jess Phillips, minister for safeguarding and violence against women and girls, stressed that social media companies “have a responsibility to stop this vile abuse from happening on their platforms.”
Parents are urged to familiarise themselves with Snapchat’s safety features, including the platform’s Family Centre, which allows parents to monitor their children’s contacts whilst respecting privacy. The app’s in-app warnings alert teenagers when they receive messages from people who aren’t mutual friends, though experts stress these measures alone cannot prevent determined predators.
Detective Inspector from GMP’s Online Child Abuse Investigation Team noted that in 2023, the force safeguarded 150 children who had uploaded indecent images of themselves online, often without realising these could end up in the hands of predators.
The psychological impact on victims extends far beyond the initial abuse. Support services including Greater Manchester Rape Crisis and We Are Survivors provide specialist trauma-informed care, recognising that many survivors carry the effects for years or even decades.
Becky Riggs from the National Police Chief’s Council described the broader picture as “shocking,” emphasising the urgent need for technology companies to prioritise child safety over profit margins. The evolving nature of online abuse, including the emergence of AI-generated child sexual abuse material, presents new challenges for law enforcement.
For Latham’s victims, the 14-year sentence offers some measure of justice, though it cannot undo the harm inflicted. As one survivor’s words echoed through Preston Crown Court, the loss of childhood innocence remains an irreparable wound.
Greater Manchester Police continues to investigate potential additional victims and urges anyone with information to contact them on 101. Support is available through the NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000 or Childline on 0800 1111.
The case serves as a stark reminder that behind the seemingly innocent interfaces of social media apps lurk sophisticated predators exploiting technology’s vulnerabilities to target society’s most vulnerable members.
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