A paedophile who tried to groom three girls – two of them just 10 years old – using Snapchat and Instagram social media platforms has been jailed for four years.
Mikey Winchester, 25, of Gibbon Road, Newhaven, was jailed by Judge Christine Laing, the honorary recorder of Brighton and Hove, last Wednesday (17 December).
Sussex Police said: “A Newhaven man who posed as a teenage girl on social media to groom several young girls has been jailed.
“Mikey Winchester, 25, of Gibbon Road, in Newhaven, targeted three girls – two aged 10, one aged 13 – on Snapchat and Instagram in 2022 and 2023.
“Sussex Police first became aware of Winchester’s offending from another police force in May 2023.
“The force had received reports from two 10-year-old girls who had been approached by a Snapchat user using the name ‘avadunn2.0’.
“The account known as ‘Ava’ was in fact Winchester pretending to be a 13-year-old girl.
“Winchester sent both victims explicit images before asking them to send explicit images of themselves in return.
“Both victims had clearly stated they were young children in the chat with Winchester.
“The messages were discovered on both children’s phones and the Snapchat account was traced to Winchester’s home address in Newhaven.
“Officers visited his home on Thursday 18 May 2023, arrested him and seized a number of digital devices.
“In August 2023, another police force transferred an investigation to Sussex Police of a 13-year-old girl having been groomed on Instagram by an account named ‘dumbphoebelol’.
“This was again Winchester posing as a teenage girl to send explicit images and manipulate the victim into sending him explicit images.
“Both social media accounts were linked to Winchester’s devices, as well as 69 child sex abuse images and four images of extreme animal pornography.
“He was subsequently charged with three counts of sexual communication with a child, inciting sexual activity with a child (with and without penetration), three counts of making indecent images of a child (category A, B and C), and four counts of possession of extreme pornography.
“At Lewes Crown Court on Wednesday 17 December, he pleaded guilty to all charges and was jailed for four years, given an indefinite ‘sexual harm prevention order’ and ordered to sign the Sex Offenders’ Register.”
Detective Constable Gary Baker said: “Mikey Winchester is a calculating predatory offender who posed as a child to manipulate young children in the most appalling way.
“I would like to thank the victims and their families for raising the alarm as soon as Winchester’s offending was discovered, as well as our partner forces for supporting our investigation.
“Winchester’s offending is another unwelcome reminder of the dangers posed to children online.”
