Snapchat predator jailed in one of biggest abuse cases

An “abhorrent” Snapchat predator has been jailed for 14 years for raping a 12-year-old girl and exploiting dozens of others in one of the UK’s biggest online child sexual abuse investigations.

- Josh Halliday Raphael Boyd

Stuart Latham, 22, is believed to have solicited explicit images from hundreds of girls, most aged between 11 and 13, on social media over the space of a year.

Latham was under investigation on suspicion of raping a 12-year-old girl when he obtained many of the 4,000 indecent images found on his devices. More than 1,000 images were Category A - the most serious kind - which includes “sadistic” sexual acts or activity with animals.

DS Simon France, of Greater Manchester police (GMP), said Latham was “one of the most dangerous offenders” he had encountered in 14 years investigating sexual offences. He said “potentially hundreds” of young girls had been exploited by the “abhorrent” Latham.

Sentencing Latham to a minimum of 14 years in prison yesterday, judge Philip Parry said: “You are a highly dangerous individual. You are a predatory sex offender with little to no remorse. Young girls who come within your orbit, either in person or online, are in danger of being sexually abused by you.”