Linus Rickett

Linus Rickett, a 20-year-old resident of Abingdon, Oxfordshire, has been sentenced to five years' imprisonment at Oxford Crown Court for a series of serious child sex offences committed between February 2017 and October 2018. Rickett, who targeted 10 young boys aged between nine and 13, pleaded guilty to 13 counts of sexual misconduct, marking him as a prolific offender according to Thames Valley Police.

The offences involved Rickett deceiving victims by posing as a young girl of a similar age online, inciting the boys to engage in sexual activity. Seven counts specifically related to inciting boys under the age of 13 to participate in sexual acts. Additionally, Rickett admitted to three counts of voyeurism, achieved by secretly filming the boys while they used urinals in locations such as an Oxford supermarket, and three counts of making indecent images of children, categorised as A, B, and C respectively. These actions were driven by his own sexual gratification, as highlighted by investigating officers.

Senior Investigating Officer Detective Inspector Ali Driver, from the Force CID at Abingdon police station, described Rickett's behaviour in detail: 'Rickett is clearly a prolific offender, targeting young boys to abuse for his own sexual gratification. Rickett committed these crimes by pretending he was a young girl of a similar age to the victims online and by filming boys using urinals.' The police emphasised that such crimes are thoroughly investigated to ensure perpetrators are brought to justice through the criminal justice system.

In addition to the custodial sentence, Rickett received an extended licence period of three years upon release. He has been placed on the sex offenders' register for life and issued with a Sexual Harm Prevention Order to restrict his future behaviour and protect the public, particularly children. The case came to light through police investigations, underscoring the importance of reporting suspicions of child exploitation.