Description
A man from Sefton has been jailed today, Friday 2 May, after pleading guilty to 27 child sex offences targeting underage children across the country.
Michael Lymath, of no fixed address but formerly from Southport, was sentenced to 20 years in prison at Liverpool Crown Court today, plus eight years extended licence period which is additional time during which the offender is supervised in the community after their release. He had pleaded guilty to the catalogue of sex offences against underage girls at a previous court hearing.
In December last year detectives arrested and charged 43-year-old Lymath following a report from a child victim that they had been offered payment for images. A search of Lymath’s home address was conducted where numerous exhibits were seized, Lymath was initially charged with the reported offence along with Possession of cannabis, Possession of cocaine and Possession of an offensive weapon in a private place.
Lymath was remanded into custody by the courts while detectives continued investigating the full scope of Lymath’s offending, which resulted in him being convicted of 27 offences which he committed across the UK between 2020 and until his arrest in December 2024. The long list of additional charges included Rape of a girl under the age of 13, Cause/incite a girl under 13 to engage in sexual activity, Engage in sexual communication with a child, Attempt to cause/incite a girl to engage in sexual activity, two counts of Cause a child to watch/look at an image of sexual activity, Possession of cannabis, Possession of cocaine and Possession of an offensive weapon in a private place.
The court heard that Lymath would prey on underage children on social media under various guise’s that included pretending he was a 17-year-old boy and message them.
Following a complex investigation detectives discovered that he had been in contact with several victims from across the UK. Lymath had groomed children online and had met them in person where he engaged in sexual activity.
He had also lured multiple victims to send explicit images of themselves by offering them payment.
Detective Constable Rory Quigley said: “This sentence follows a lengthy and complex investigation to bring Lymath before the courts so that he pays for his crimes.
“He was a prolific sexual predator – targeting young and vulnerable children for his own sexual gratification, thinking he could get away with it.
“He manipulated his vulnerable young victims and sent them explicit videos to watch. In one instance he told child victim that he knew where they lived to manipulate them into sending him sexually explicit images which were categorised A, B and C.”