Adam Matthew Weeks

A convicted paedophile from Christchurch has been sentenced to eight years in prison for a series of child sex offences, including sexual assault and the production of indecent images. Adam Matthew Weeks, 25, pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to multiple charges at Bournemouth Crown Court.

Weeks' offences included two counts of sexual assault of a child under 13, four offences of taking indecent images of a child, six charges of making indecent photographs of a child, and two counts of causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity. The court described his actions as 'despicable', leading to an eight-year custodial sentence plus an extended four-year licence period. Additionally, Weeks was previously sentenced at Manchester Crown Court in May 2023 for indecent image offences, receiving a 16-month jail term that was suspended for two years, along with a ten-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).

The current investigation began on Tuesday, 26 July 2023, when Weeks attended an appointment with his probation officer and offender manager in Bournemouth. As required by his SHPO, he handed over his phone for examination. Officers discovered a significant number of indecent images of young children, as well as photographs and videos showing Weeks sexually abusing a young child. Dorset Police arrested Weeks and searched his home, seizing several digital devices. Further analysis revealed additional indecent images and evidence of online communication with a child aged around nine from America. The chat history indicated that Weeks was encouraging the child to engage in sexual activity on camera in exchange for money. UK authorities notified their counterparts in America, leading to charges related to both child victims.

Detective Constable Steve Cartwright, from Dorset Police’s Paedophile Online Investigation Team, commented: 'Adam Weeks was a convicted sex offender who continued to subject young children to despicable sexual abuse for his own gratification. Through our investigation we were able to expose his offending and ensure he was held to account for his actions. Offending of this nature often has a devastating and lifelong impact on the child victims involved and we remain committed to identifying those involved in these horrific crimes and bringing them before the courts.' The case was reported by the Bournemouth Echo, highlighting the ongoing efforts of Dorset Police to combat child sexual exploitation.