A MAN from Upminster who pretended to be a girl to incite a boy into sexual activity has been jailed today, Thursday, November 15.
Jeremy Merritt, 36, of Tyrells Close, was sentenced two years in prison at Basildon Crown Court for inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.
He also received 12 months for five counts of making indecent images of children, to run concurrently, after he was found with 640 indecent images and movies of boys.
Merritt, formerly of Aveley, was found guilty by a unanimous jury follow a trial at the same court on Monday, September 3.
He has been placed on the sex offenders’ register and has been given a sexual harm prevention order, both for 10 years.
Between August 1 and September 25, 2016, a boy believed he was talking to a girl online. This girl was in fact Merritt.
The girl claimed she was a distant cousin of his from America and told him to send nude pictures.
The victim’s mother saw the conversation and called police. We attended Merritt’s address and arrested him and while doing so, he told officers that his second cousin had access to his machine.
We searched his address and seized phones, computers and USB sticks and found hundreds of indecent images and videos of boys of varying categories, including category A, which is the most serious category of abuse imagery.
Investigating officer DC Matthew Musson, of Basildon CID, said: “Merritt targeted a young, vulnerable boy and impersonated a girl who claimed to be a relative in order to entice him to send images.
“He was arrested and claimed to have been hacked before later blaming relatives. This did not account of the hundreds of sickening and disturbing images he had on his devices.
“I want to thank the boy and his family for their bravery in coming forward and reporting this behaviour. I hope today’s outcome offers them justice.”
Prisoners wil hang him. I’ve loads of rope B Wing.
Seem to be a few of these in Thurrock of late.
Yeah. I’ve seen it elsewhere as well. even police officers are getting done for sexual offences.
It aint right what these fuckign animals are doing.
Hnag them. I’ve got rope.
Now CTB this is a rare thing we have here…I agree. And no doubt half the nation too, but we won’t be given a referendum on that will we.
“And no doubt half the nation too, ”
No I would say you would find no sod says let them go. Ok me hanging them maybe. But most would just say ok CTB he is in cell 3 turn the lights off on your way out. it saves on electric.
I am a Green I have a sense of fair play in life.
Thats why I turned the lights off on leaving the room. to save green energy. 🙂
sick pervert and a liar, hope he gets sorted in the shower block, oh and feel sorry for all the jahovahs witnesses that all trusted him as a person to trust and look up too
“sick pervert and a liar, hope he gets sorted in the shower block,”
He will. Prisoners do have standards you know.
I would rip his arse to pieces myself in the shower block and I am not gay but if he wants asexual experience for a kick why not.
“oh and feel sorry for all he jahovahs witnesses that all trusted him as a person to trust and look up too”
I didnt see any referance to the jahovahs witnesses
in the article. So you have knowledge I don’t have
“later blaming relatives.”
Great dad goes to jail as a kiddie fiddler because he was “to big to fail to big to jail.”
CTB you really do need help.
Your last comment shows you sick, twisted persona.
Lets adopt the Labour Party wet policies and give him a new pair of trainers,phone and ask him to be nice.
Well thats one game to play i guess.
I remember him at junior school he was always a weirdo? The justice system is terrible! Saw a woman get 2 years for two speeding offences! It don’t make sense? Because that sick pervert! Only gets a slap on the rist for being pedo!… makes me sick!