AN EVESHAM man has been jailed for a total of 13 years after admitting a string of sexual offence against young children which included a bid to rape a young boy.
Christopher Cuthbertson, 42, of Crump Way was jailed at Worcester Crown Court today (Thursday) after officers uncovered a string of offences following his initial arrest by police on December 22.
He was charged with three child sex offences at a hearing in January which included attempting to arrange/facilitate the commission of a child sex offence (for this he received eight years imprisonment extended by five years due to the defendant’s dangerousness – total 13 years imprisonment) and distributing indecent images of children.
As the police investigation progressed, he was charged with a further eight offences including two charges of attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity, attempting to arrange/facilitate the commission of a child sex offence, two charges of making extreme images and making indecent images of children.
Georgina Hewins from the CPS revealed details of one offence which saw Cuthbertson initially claim he was arranging to meet a boy to safeguard him by calling the police.
“However, when his conversation on social media was shown to Cuthbertson, he admitted that he did have a sexual interest in children and was intending to rape the victim,” she said.
“This is a shocking case and during the investigation further evidence was discovered of the offender arranging to meet other underage boys in order to sexually abuse them.
Sentencing Cuthbertson, Judge Richard Griffiths-Jones said: “”In many ways it is a tragedy someone who has shown so many qualities in their life is standing before me for such serious offences.
“I have to ensure the sentence is just and proportionate and looked at as a whole.
“This course of offending was planned in detail and mercifully a child didn’t come into your clutches, but had they been, would have been severely damaged.
“You present a significant risk of harm and particularly to young children.”
Cuthbertson was issued with a Sexual Harm Prevention Order indefinitely, told to hand over his electronic devices and on his release he will be required to sign the Sex Offender Register indefinitely.
Speaking after sentencing DCI Gavin Kinrade said: “The significant sentence demonstrates the seriousness of the offences he has committed against some of the most vulnerable people in our community – our children.
“Although Cuthbertson attempted to incite a child to engage in sexual activity the intervention of highly trained specialist officers meant that he was unable to live out his fantasies.
“We are very pleased that he will now be in prison for a considerable length of time and when he is eventually released he will be required to register as a sex offender.”
