Mehmet Yumusak

A 46-year-old man from Doncaster has been imprisoned for targeting a vulnerable young girl online and engaging in inappropriate sexual communications with her. Mehmet Yumusak, residing in Camden Place, Balby Bridge, utilised social media platforms such as TikTok and Likee to contact the 13-year-old victim, who has learning difficulties and was unaware of the risks associated with interacting with older individuals online.

The offending behaviour came to light when the victim's mother reported the concerning interactions to the police. In the messages, Yumusak discussed dating the girl, invited her to his home, professed sentiments like 'love you' and 'miss you', and explicitly requested that she send him sexually explicit images. He was fully aware of the significant age difference between them and instructed the girl to delete all the messages to conceal his actions. This predatory conduct was described by Investigating Officer Fiona Booth as having 'much darker' motives, with the girl merely seeking a friend.

Following the report, police identified Yumusak through photographs he had sent to the victim. Upon his arrest, his electronic devices were seized and analysed by the Digital Forensics Unit, which confirmed the communications with the young victim. Yumusak pleaded guilty at Sheffield Crown Court to engaging in sexual communication with a child and causing a girl aged 13 to 15 to engage in sexual activity – no penetration. He was sentenced to one year in prison on 11 July 2024.

Additionally, three counts of making an indecent photograph of a child and one count of possessing an extreme pornographic image were ordered to remain on file, as Yumusak entered not guilty pleas to these charges. To protect the victim and prevent future offences, he was subjected to a 10-year restraining order against the girl and a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order, prohibiting him from using any computer or device capable of accessing the internet. Officer Booth commended the victim and her family for their support in the investigation, which exposed Yumusak's sinister behaviour and helped safeguard others.

This case underscores the dangers of online grooming and the importance of parental vigilance in monitoring children's social media interactions. The source article from UKNIP details the full context of the investigation and sentencing, highlighting South Yorkshire Police's commitment to tackling online child abuse.