A baby-faced couple who used an online chat site to facilitate sexual offences against children have been jailed.
Nick Barrett, 23, and Summer Andrew, 23, wept in the dock as they were jailed for a combined total of 15 years.
Officers from the Police Online Investigation Team (POLIT) launched an investigation in December 2021 following intelligence about Andrew and Barrett engaging in sexual activity involving children online.
Further enquiries revealed that the pair had filmed themselves having sex in exchange for watching live footage of a four-year-old child being abused.
Barrett, of Harwich, was charged with engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child and arranging or facilitating the commission of a child sex offence. He pleaded guilty to both offences and was sentenced to 12 years to serve at least 7 years in prison.
Andrew, of Clacton, was charged with arranging the commission of a child sex offence. She pleaded not guilty but was found guilty following a trial and has been sentenced to three years in prison
The couple were arrested and charged on June 29, 2022.
Barrett, of Harwich, was charged with engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child and arranging or facilitating the commission of a child sex offence.
Andrew, of Clacton, was charged with arranging the commission of a child sex offence.
Barrett pleaded guilty to both offences and was sentenced to 12 years, to serve at least 7 years in prison.
During the trial, Barrett was described as lacking ‘insight into your sexual preoccupation’ and of presenting ‘a real risk of sexual harm to children in the future’.
‘Both defendants were effectively trading and livestreaming their sexual activity in return for a child being abused,’ prosecutor Nicola May said.
‘The stranger was being aroused by what was being shown. Sexual activity was being encouraged.’
Andrew pleaded not guilty but following a trial at Chelmsford Crown Court, was found guilty on 11 April 2024.
She was sentenced to three years in prison. Both were issued with a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and an indefinite NRO (Notification Requirement Order).
Judge Morgan told Andrew that he was certain that she ‘knew that you were going to engage in sexual activity’ and that he was sure that she would have been able to see and did see the screen which displayed a child being sexually abused.
‘This offence is so serious that only a custodial sentence can be justified,’ the Judge told her.
‘It may have been that none of the videos and contact was done on your phone but the difficulty that I face is that if on your release you become involved in the same type of relationship as with Barrett.’
Investigating officer, Detective Sergeant Nicola Hadfield said: ‘The tireless work of our officers has managed to safeguard other children from coming to harm in the hands of Barrett and Andrew.
‘The two will now be registered sex offenders, meaning that they will have indefinite notification requirements and every interaction with any children in the future will be monitored.
‘These offences took place on the former online chat room site Omegle, which would allow users to video chat with randomly selected users.
‘Omegle shut down after 14 years in November 2023 following multiple investigations into child abuse being attributed to the site.
‘It’s a positive move forward to see a large online platform taking accountability for offences which may take place on their site.’
Essex Police’s POLIT team were recently confirmed to be top in the country for securing charges in relation to online child abuse investigations.