A senior NHS executive at the University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust has pleaded guilty to a series of grave child sex offences, including the rape of a 12-year-old girl and the sexual abuse of five other underage victims. Paul Lipscombe, 51, from Rothley in Leicestershire, used Snapchat accounts under false names to groom vulnerable girls aged between 12 and 15, leading to his arrest and impending sentencing.
The court heard that Lipscombe, a married software expert and director responsible for improving patient waiting times at Coventry's main hospitals trust, admitted to 34 offences at Leicester Crown Court. These included two counts of rape, three sexual assaults, and 21 counts of sexual activity with a child. Additionally, he confessed to making and distributing indecent photographs of children, as well as causing or inciting sexual activity. The offences came to light following his arrest in April 2024 on suspicion of kidnapping a missing 15-year-old girl.
Crown KC Frida Hussain detailed to Judge Keith Raynor how Lipscombe picked up the missing girl late at night from her home area and took her to a hotel. He provided her with a scripted story to tell police, instructing her to dial 999 and falsely claim abuse by others to justify leaving home. When officers pulled over his Tesla near a KFC in Birstall, near Leicester, Lipscombe was cautioned and stated, 'I have not kidnapped anyone, I know exactly where she is,' before directing them to her location. Investigations revealed evidence of sexual assault at the hotel, including his phone, soft toys, restraints, an open bottle of vodka, and another mobile device that had been wiped clean.
Further examination of Lipscombe's devices uncovered communications with multiple victims, revealing a pattern of grooming and exploitation. One victim, referred to as Girl B and aged 12 at the time, shared a poignant statement in court: 'I regret ever accepting your request when you randomly added me on Snapchat. I still feel your hands on me. I have started self-harming badly.' Another victim, Girl D, aged 14, described her ongoing trauma: 'I am haunted by the damage that he's done to me. Whenever I go to sleep I can feel the memories and the nightmares coming on. Whenever I close my eyes, I have no control over it. I feel disgusted whenever I think of him.' The mother of Girl D expressed profound anguish: 'I cannot express how much you can hate someone you don’t know for hurting your daughter. He has turned our lives upside down. I hate that I cannot take her pain or those horrible memories away from her.'
Ms Hussain emphasised Lipscombe's attempts to deflect blame, noting, 'He accused other people of serious crimes simply in order to mask his own crimes.' During initial police interviews, Lipscombe made no comment, and while on remand in prison, he refused to speak. His online profiles portrayed him as an award-winning expert and keynote speaker, contrasting sharply with his criminal actions. A spokesperson for Snapchat condemned the exploitation, stating: 'Sexual exploitation of young people is an abhorrent crime, and we are working hard to combat it. We regularly work with law enforcement to help keep such activity off our platform and bring criminals to justice, and we’ve done that in this particular case.'
Lipscombe, appearing in court in a grey suit and striped tie, is scheduled for sentencing on Tuesday at Leicester Crown Court. The case, reported by ITV News Central, highlights the dangers of online grooming and the role of social media in facilitating such crimes.