Derbyshire sex offender jailed after sending sexually explicit images to child on Snapchat

Mark Rayworth sent an unsolicited message to an 11-year-old girl he did not know on Snapchat. The 55-year-old used an account with a different name to try and spark a conversation with the girl, asking her how she was and where she lived.

Aware he was a stranger to her, the girl initially ignored his message, but then very quickly received an explicit image from Rayworth, who also claimed he was 19 years old and from Derby.

He continued to message the girl asking her where she was from and if she would like to see more images. The girl told her mum and they replied to tell him her age and to go away, but the messages continued.

Rayworth, of Severndale Close, Allestree, was arrested in November 2022 and subsequently charged and remanded into custody.

In her statement with officers, the girl described how she had initially felt the message was weird and that made her suspicious, but when he continued to contact her she had felt scared and uncomfortable.

She told officers that the contact had made her feel unsafe and that she had now updated her settings on the app to prevent people who are not friends from contacting her.

Rayworth denied the one count of inciting a child to look at images of sexual activity, and two counts of attempting to engage in sexual activity with a child but was found guilty at Derby Crown Court on Wednesday, March 20.

He has now been jailed for two-and-a-half years, was given a lifetime Sexual Harm Prevention Order and will be on the sex offender register for life.

PC Sam Bailey of our Protecting Children Online Team said: “I would like to thank the girl for her courage in making a trusted adult aware of messages which were making her feel uncomfortable and were not right, and for her courage and families support during our investigation and the court case.

“I welcome the guilty verdict brought against Rayworth, who was totally responsible for his behaviour against children. I hope this shows that we always take reports seriously and will investigate to ensure people are brought to justice and face the consequences their actions.”

To report or seek help at about online sexual abuse, you can contact Derbyshire police in any of the following ways:

Website – use the online contact form; Facebook – send a private message to the Derbyshire Constabulary Facebook page; Twitter – direct message the contact centre via @DerPolContact or phone – call 101.

If you are in immediate danger and need and emergency response, always dial 999.

You can also anonymously contact the independent charity CrimeStoppers, on 0800 555 111, or by visiting the CrimeStoppers website.

There are also a number of other organisations who may be able to help with advice or alternative ways in which you can report. They are:

Child Exploitation Online Protection command (CEOP)- http://ceop.police.uk/

Internet Watch Foundation- https://www.iwf.org.uk/

NSPCC Helplines: Anyone concerned about a child can contact the NSPCC Helplinef or advice on 0808 8005000

Get Safe Onlineprovide advice on staying safe online.

Thinkuknow: An education programme keeping children and young people safe by teaching about sexual abuse and sexual exploitation.