Sussex child sex predator jailed for 15 years
Kevin Wyeth posed as a teenage boy to pressure young girls
A Sussex man who posed as a teenage boy to pressure young girls for explicit images has been sentenced for his crimes.
39-year-old Kevin Wyeth used a mobile phone account to bully the young girls, threatening them by saying he would find and rape them.
The predator pressured them into engaging in sexual activity in group chat messages, before being found by police at a flat in Eastbourne.
He targeted four victims, who cannot be identified for legal reasons. They have since been offered specialist support.
Wyeth, of no fixed address but formerly from Eastbourne, was charged with 35 offences, and sentenced on May 2nd at Lewes Crown Court.
The court imposed a 20-year sentence, which includes 15 years in prison, and an additional five years on licence as part of an extended sentence.
The offences were seven counts of distributing indecent images, ten counts of making indecent images, five counts of engaging in sexual communications with a child and one count of attempting to engage in sexual communications with a child, three counts of breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, three counts of inciting girls under the age of 13 to engage in sexual activity which includes one count of penetrative sexual activity, two counts of disclosing or threatening to disclose a private sexual photograph or film with intent to cause distress, and three counts of malicious communications.
Wyeth had previously been jailed in 2018 and 2020 for similar offences, with all his victims at this time under the age of 13.
“Prolific child predator”
Parents of Wyeth's victims have described how his actions have impacted their children.
One parent described Wyeth as a “prolific child predator” and said he has caused “lasting emotional scars”.
“The trust we had in the online world has been shattered,” a parent said.
Investigating officer Detective Constable Gary Baker, from the OCAT team, said: “Wyeth preyed on the fears of the girls to commit his crimes.
“He has repeatedly committed similar offences, breached Sexual Harm Prevention Orders, and is a danger to children.
“His crimes have caused lasting harm to the victims, who all require ongoing support.
“We remain determined to catch offenders like Wyeth and to secure justice for victims who have been abused.
“Anyone who has been a victim of serious sexual offences is asked to report it to us.”