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Jailed: Paedophile targeted boys including offering money and gifts

A paedophile who preyed on young boys and filmed the abuse of one of them has been jailed.

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Stuart Langford targeted young boys by offering them money and gifts, the court heard.

Stuart Langford

Langford pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to two counts of engaging in penetrative sexual activity with a child, one count of attempting to engage in a penetrative sexual act with a child, causing a child to watch a sexual act, voyeurism and making an indecent image of a child.

The 36-year-old, from Cherry Road, Tipton, was jailed for a total of seven years and five months.

He was also placed on the Sex Offender Register for life and issued with a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, which places restrictions on his contact with anyone under the age of 16.

Police arrested Langford in July 2016, heard Wolverhampton Crown Court.

It came after one 15-year-old boy complained Langford harassed him by continually sending texts that were sexual in nature.

The judge was told on one occasion Langford exposed himself to the boy and tried to sexually abuse him but the boy left.

West Midlands Police say Langford continued to harass the child, via phone and social media despite the boy blocking his number.

When Langford was arrested, his laptop was seized and officers then found footage of the defendant sexually abusing another young boy.

The second boy, aged 15, who was only shown in side profile, was later identified by officers.

He told police that Langford had offered him money and a phone in order to control and manipulate him. He also said he did not know that he had been filmed.

Langford was charged with a number of offences and remanded into custody, where he pleaded guilty at a hearing in December 2016.

Detective Constable Kim Savage, from the force's public protection unit, said: "Langford is a sexual predator who has had a profound effect on both of these children's lives.

"I hope today's sentencing will offer some justice and help them move on.

"Both boys have been immensely brave and I know how hard it was for them to talk about what Langford had done to them.

"I cannot thank them enough for their bravery, because of them, Langford has come to our attention, which in turn has potentially prevented any further children suffering at his hands."

Detective Chief Inspector Sally Holmes, from the force's public protection unit, said: "Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) is a form of child abuse where offenders target vulnerable young people and use their power - physical, financial, emotional - over the child to sexually abuse them.

"Protecting young people from harm is a priority for West Midlands Police and partner agencies and we take reports of sexual offences extremely seriously.

"Sexual abuse is an abhorrent crime which we are committed to stamping out.

"We hope this case shows that we take all reports of child sexual exploitation extremely seriously, giving other survivors the confidence to come forward, safe in the knowledge they will be listened to, supported and protected from future abuse."

The See Me Hear Me campaign is raising awareness of the signs of child sexual exploitation amongst parents, professionals and young people themselves.

Supported by West Midlands Police, the region's seven local authorities and children's charities, the See Me Hear Me website explains how to spot the signs of exploitation and where to go to get help.

Find out more at www.seeme-hearme.org.uk

Call police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 to report abuse.

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