Met officers from south-east London led a meticulous three-year investigation into a sexual offender who targeted children online.
Vinnie Pinkham, 19 (15.11.04) of Restons Crescent, Eltham was sentenced on Thursday 28 March at Woolwich Crown Court to seven years in prison and given a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order after he was convicted of:
- Two counts of sexual communication with a child
- Two counts of causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity
- Three counts of possessing extreme pornographic images
- Possession of a prohibited image
During a Met investigation, detectives gathered evidence to show Pinkham attempted to befriend children aged six to eight across England and Wales and built relationships with them online, to manipulate them into sending extreme sexual images and videos.
Met officers worked with colleagues from Greater Manchester Police and North Wales Police to gather digital evidence and statements from young victims and their families, including photographs and mobile phone data. With this collaborative work, officers were able to piece together the true extent of Pinkham’s offending.
Met officers conducted hours of interviews with Pinkham and his victims and worked closely with specialist officers in the child abuse investigation team to ensure victim impact statements were as thorough as possible, and victims and their families were provided with support.
Detective Constable Amy Burnell who led the investigation said:
“I would like to highlight the incredible work of the Met’s investigation team; they viewed images of horrific material seized from the suspect and had to grade the severity of the indecency of the images for viewing in court. They did this efficiently and were able to still work professionally and with true commitment to the case.
“The team’s diligence and professionalism has ensured this perpetrator has been taken off the streets of London and will no longer be able to hide behind a computer screen and take advantage of vulnerable children enjoying online games and chat rooms with their friends.
“Pinkham exploited children’s youthful ignorance for his personal gratification. We are committed to finding individuals who wish to cause harm to young people across London.
“We’ll do everything in our power to protect children, bringing to justice those predators who threaten their safety.”
Children and young people are the most vulnerable in society, and the Met is committed to keeping them safe in person and online. As part of the New Met for London plan, our officers are working closely with third sector partners, including The Children’s Society to help young people, parents and carers spot the signs of sexual abuse and predatory behaviour online and offline.
