Scott Kirkham

A 23-year-old Tameside man has been jailed for 10 years after using fake online profiles to groom and sexually assault vulnerable teenage girls across the UK.

Scott Kirkham, of Hope Street, Audenshaw, pleaded guilty to 30 offenses at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court, including inciting children to engage in sexual activity, causing a child to watch a sexual act, sexual communication, and sexual assault.

The court heard that between March 2020 and April 2021, Kirkham created multiple social media accounts under the fake name 'Jake Richardson,' pretending to be between 14 and 16 years old. He used these profiles to target and groom nine vulnerable victims, aged 13 to 17, some of whom were in care or struggling with self-harm.

Kirkham used his fake identity to offer support to the girls, but instead mocked them, encouraged them to self-harm, and sent explicit images. He went on to meet three of his victims in person—sometimes while their parents were present—in Manchester, Blackpool, and Cumbria, and sexually assaulted one of the girls at his home in Tameside.

His multi-jurisdictional offending came to light after police forces in Oxfordshire and South Wales received reports from victims and traced the suspect's IP address back to Kirkham's residence in Greater Manchester. He was arrested in April 2021 following an investigation by the Tameside Complex Safeguarding Team under Operation Casement. Forensic analysis of his seized electronic devices uncovered archived WhatsApp chats and extensive evidence of his predatory behavior.

In addition to his 10-year prison sentence, Kirkham will serve an extended three years on license upon his release. He was also handed an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) and placed permanently on the Sex Offenders Register.

Detective Constable Angela Pavitt welcomed the sentence, branding Kirkham a "manipulative and dangerous individual."

"Kirkham engaged in a sustained campaign of deceit, coercion, and abuse," DC Pavitt said. "Thanks to the bravery and resilience of the victims, and the tireless work of the Tameside Complex Safeguarding Team, we have successfully removed a high-risk sexual predator from our streets."