Darren Moore 57

Description

A man has been jailed for ten years after he groomed a 14-year-old boy online and lured him to his flat for sexual activity.

Darren Moore, 57, began communicating with the victim in early 2024, and despite being aware of his age, turned the conversation sexual in March of that year.

Moore sent explicit photos of himself to the victim and described what sexual acts he wanted to perform on him when they met up in person.

On 8 March 2024, Moore encouraged the victim to travel by train to his flat in Ely after he had finished school for the day. 

The victim obliged and spent the evening at Moore’s flat, where Moore sexually abused him.

When the victim didn’t return home from school, his mum became worried and reported him as missing to local police.

After returning home later that evening, the victim confided in his parents, and the police were informed.

At Peterborough Crown Court on Thursday (21 May), Moore, of Market Street, Ely, was jailed after admitting one count of inciting a boy aged 13-15 to engage in sexual activity, two counts of engaging in sexual activity with a boy aged 13-15, one count of grooming, and one count of engaging in sexual communication with a child.

DC Dan Knight, who investigated, said:

“Despite knowing the victim’s age, Moore took the time to build a relationship with him online over the course of a few months, before he lured him to his flat and sexually abused him.

“The distress Moore has caused to the teenager, and his family, has been unfathomable, and I would like to commend the victim for his courage in reporting Moore, and supporting the investigation throughout.

"Grooming and sexual exploitation can have devastating effects on young people’s emotional development, mental health and self-esteem which stay with them into adulthood.

“I hope this sentence provides some closure to the victim and his family and shows that predatory behaviour towards children will not be tolerated.”