A Derbyshire man has been jailed for 24 years after being convicted of multiple child sex offences.
Christopher Shepherd, 44, of Spondon, was sentenced at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court on Wednesday 17 June following a trial in which he was found guilty of rape of a girl under 13, sexual assault of a girl under 13, and meeting a girl under 16 following grooming.
During the proceedings, Shepherd also pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent photographs or pseudo-photographs of a child.
According to Staffordshire Police, an investigation found that Shepherd had been communicating online with a number of girls between 2021 and 2022. Officers said he exchanged indecent images during those conversations and later arranged to meet one of the victims.
The offences came to light after Shepherd’s behaviour was reported to police in 2022. He was subsequently arrested and officers from Staffordshire Police’s child protection team began a detailed investigation.
The force said specialist officers worked closely with the survivors while gathering evidence that was later presented to the court.
Following sentencing, Detective Constable Angela Maxfield, from Staffordshire Police’s child protection team, said: “We are working night and day, 365-days a year, to take robust action against those preying on vulnerable people online for a sexual purpose.
“Despite Shepherd’s initial attempts to plead his innocence, we made sure through our evidence and investigation that the jury were able to see the extent of his offending and bring him to justice.
“We’re determined to support survivors of sexual offences in Staffordshire and continue taking proactive action against those responsible.”
Shepherd was sentenced to 24 years in prison.
If you’re a survivor and you want to talk to the police, you can get in touch by calling 101 or using Live Chat on their website.