Colchester man charged with 38 child exploitation offences
The 22-year-old is in court today (Friday)
A Colchester man has been charged with nearly 40 offences connected with child sexual exploitation.
Matthew Clarke was arrested after officers from the Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) Proactive Investigation Team carried out a warrant in the town in November last year.
The 22 year-old, of Delamere Road, Colchester has now been charged with:
- One count of sexual assault by penetration
- One count of sexual assault
- Five counts of inciting a child to engage in penetrative sexual activity
- 10 counts of inciting a child to engage in non-penetrative sexual activity
- Three counts of sexual activity with a child
- Five counts of causing a child to watch a sexual act
- One count of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child
- Four counts of engaging in sexual communication with a child
- One count of meeting a child following grooming
- Six counts of possession of indecent images of children;
- One count of blackmail
He is due to appear at Colchester Magistrates’ Court today (Friday 21 May).
About the CSE Proactive Investigation Team
The CSE Proactive Investigation Team was formed last year and deals with both reactive and proactive investigations that have been referred by partners or from other teams within Essex Police.
They take on both new and older referrals where conventional safeguarding tactics have been previously unsuccessful.
They deal with the most complex and difficult criminal investigations involving the sexual exploitation of children.
Offenders can be individuals or organised groups, they could be using fake profiles to groom young people online, or befriending them and giving them money or alcohol.
Essex Police use a variety of tactics to mitigate the threat they present.
This includes reactive investigations responding to referrals from victims, families, and partners as well as those identified through proactive intelligence gathering.
The team also work with our partners to ensure there are bespoke care plans for victims which mean they don’t have to speak to us if they don’t want to, but mean they are given proper support, assistance and guidance by trained professionals from the many children’s charities we work alongside in Essex.
If you have any information or concerns about a child being groomed or exploited, call 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.