Fredis Mata

A 25-year-old US national, Fredis Mata, has been jailed for 10 years after travelling from America to meet a 14-year-old girl in Welwyn Garden City whom he had groomed online for several months. Mata, a builder with no fixed address, was arrested on 9 February upon arrival at Gatwick Airport's South Terminal during a routine Border Force check.

Initially, Mata claimed he was visiting the UK to meet his 21-year-old girlfriend. Under further questioning, he adjusted his story to say she was 17, before admitting the truth: the girl was 14 years old and living in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire. A subsequent search of his luggage uncovered a large number of sex toys, including ropes and harnesses, which raised immediate suspicions. Enquiries with Hertfordshire Police confirmed the victim's age and revealed that Mata and the girl had been engaged in an online relationship characterised by highly sexualised conversations initiated by Mata.

• Mata coerced the victim into participating in his fantasies through emotional threats and control, even forcing her to perform sex acts via video.
• The meeting had been meticulously planned for a specific date and time at the Premier Inn in Welwyn Garden City.

Mata was charged with three serious offences: causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child, and meeting a child following sexual grooming. He pleaded guilty to all charges at Lewes Crown Court on 1 March and was remanded in custody. Sentencing occurred at the same court on 12 April, where Judge [name not specified in article] imposed a total of 10 years' imprisonment, comprising six years in custody and four years on extended licence. The sentence was structured as follows: three years for causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, two years for engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child, and one year for meeting a child following sexual grooming.

In addition to the custodial sentence, Mata received a restraining order prohibiting any contact with the victim. Detective Inspector Andy Richardson of Sussex Police commended the Border Force officers' intervention, stating: "Mata is a devious sexual predator who came very close to destroying the life of a vulnerable 14-year-old girl, and was only prevented from doing so by the magnificent work of Border Force officers, who proactively stopped him and referred the case to Sussex Police." Richardson highlighted the predatory nature of the online grooming, noting that Mata initiated the conversations and used coercion despite the victim's reluctance at times.

Emma Porter, Director of Border Force South, praised the officer's vigilance: "This was an excellent stop by the Border Force officer on the immigration controls, who quickly assessed that Mata’s case warranted further investigation. That vital intervention was the crucial first step towards bringing a dangerous sexual predator to justice." The case underscores the importance of border security checks at Gatwick, where thousands of passengers are screened daily. The article, sourced from a partnership with USA Today and reported by American colleagues, was published by the Welwyn Hatfield Times.