The investigation was led by Essex Police in collaboration with other forces, focusing on 23-year-old Tye Hunt.
Hunt used Snapchat to prey on and groom two teenage girls, aged 12 and 14, throughout 2022 and 2023.
He tried to arrange a meeting for sexual activity with the 12-year-old and pressured her into sending explicit pictures in response to his.
Hunt, living in Essex at the time of the offences, misled the 14-year-old by claiming he was 16.
He sent her explicit pictures and suggested he would pay for a hotel for them to meet.
The victims reported the incidents to their local police forces, who gathered initial evidence and, upon discovering Hunt’s residency in the Harwich area, alerted Essex Police.
Hunt, now residing in Brockley Road, was subsequently arrested.
He admitted charges of attempting to arrange the commission of a child sex offence, as well as two counts of engaging in sexual communication with a child.
Hunt was sentenced at Chelmsford Crown Court on November 25.
He was jailed for two years and 10 months.
As part of his sentencing, he will be under an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order, which will strictly monitor his behaviour and device usage.
Restraining orders have also been obtained to prohibit any form of contact with both victims.
In a victim impact statement, one victim said: “I want the court to understand that the damage caused by grooming doesn’t stop when the contact ends or when justice is done.
“It continues to affect every aspect of my life and the lives of others who experience it.
“I stopped going to school and socialising with friends as I couldn’t face seeing others.”
In a statement for the court, staff at one victim’s school, which supported her throughout, said: “She has had forced upon her anxiety, shame, doubt, fear, obscenity, guilt, feelings of violation, mistrust, self-destruction and has been emotionally damaged beyond our understanding which will always have an impact on her view of life and people.
“She has had a part of her life taken from her that will never be given back and the bravery this pupil has shown throughout this ordeal is a testament to the strength she has within herself.
“Having spoken to her, she has said that when she is ready, she wants to use this experience as a way of helping others that have and unfortunately may experience anything like this.
“The perpetrator of this act has impacted countless people and should be made to face the consequences of this appalling act of manipulation and exploitation.”
Investigating officer DC Claire March, of Clacton CID, said: “I’d firstly pay tribute to the actions of the two girls, both in their maturity and patience working with police to gather the best possible evidence.
“One of the victims was in court with her family to face Hunt at sentence, showing such courage and strength.
“Going through the criminal justice process can be daunting and it’s important to say that we have specially trained officers on hand to support child victims.
“If you’re not ready to speak to us, there are a number of other independent organisations you can speak to for support and advice.
“It was vital we ensured Hunt was brought to justice to prevent further harm to other children.
“We immediately treated these reports with the utmost seriousness they deserved.
“Hunt’s behaviour was predatory and targeted towards young girls with the aim of sexual gratification.
“His use of social media to identify victims was a troubling feature of this case.
“But thanks to the close partnership we had with other forces in the areas where victims came forward, we were able to build a case against Hunt, track him down and arrest him.
“He wasn’t able to get away with it and he’s rightly facing a prison sentence for his actions.”
Synergy Essex offers free, confidential help to anyone in Essex affected by rape, sexual abuse, or sexual violence – whether it happened recently or in the past.
You don’t need to report anything to the police to get support. You can contact Synergy Essex directly, or ask someone you trust, like a friend, family member or professional, to refer you.
