Alan Topham

Alan Topham, a 69-year-old man from Bradford Road, Riddlesden, West Yorkshire, was sentenced at Norwich Crown Court on 8 July 2024 for a series of sexual offences involving what he believed to be a 14-year-old girl.

The incident began on 18 March 2024 when Topham contacted the 'girl' via Snapchat using a burner phone. He falsely presented himself as a 55-year-old man working in the building trade in West Yorkshire. The conversation rapidly escalated to explicit sexual content, with Topham expressing a preference for a girl who could keep secrets. Over the following weeks, he sent detailed sexual descriptions and arranged to meet her at a hotel in Norwich on 7 April 2024 for the purpose of engaging in sexual activity.

Upon arriving at the designated hotel, Topham was arrested by officers from Norfolk Constabulary and taken to Wymondham Police Investigation Centre for questioning. During his interview, he admitted knowing his intentions towards the child were wrong, expressing disgust with himself. He claimed it was his first time engaging in such activity and offered no explanation or defence, stating that the only reason he had not proceeded was due to his arrest.

Topham was charged with inciting a girl to engage in sexual activity, arranging to commit a sexual offence with a child, engaging in sexual communication with a child, and attempting to meet a girl under 16 following grooming. He pleaded guilty to three of the charges but denied the grooming-related attempt charge, which was subsequently laid on file by the court.

At Norwich Crown Court, the judge highlighted the significant planning involved in Topham's offending, deeming a custodial sentence the only appropriate response. Detective Constable Karen Coverdale of Norfolk Constabulary commented: “The nature of the messaging was extremely graphic and extremely concerning with Topham fully aware that the child was just 14. Although she was not a real child, Topham believed that she was and was fully committed to implementing his plan of having sex with her in Norwich. The only appropriate sentence was for him to go to prison.”

In addition to his prison term, Topham was placed on the sex offenders register for life and received a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for 10 years.