Ellis Dismore, a 25-year-old man from Middlesbrough, was convicted of 26 serious offences, including attempted murder, after a prolonged campaign of sexual exploitation and grooming targeting young girls on social media. Over a period of eight years, Dismore created fake profiles posing as a friendly teenage boy to befriend nine victims aged between 13 and 15. What began as seemingly innocent interactions quickly escalated into coercion and threats, as detailed in court proceedings at Teesside Crown Court and later the Court of Appeal in London.
The court heard that Dismore pressured the girls into performing sex acts, using increasingly violent threats to ensure compliance. He warned of raping them, attacking their families, and in one particularly harrowing instance, threatened to stab a victim's five-year-old sibling. Dismore then blackmailed the girls by demanding more explicit images, threatening to distribute any existing material if they refused. In one case, he followed through on his threats by posting images of a girl on social media, causing her significant anxiety and embarrassment, as noted by Mr Justice Sheldon during the appeal hearing.
Dismore's offending reached a violent climax on 22 June 2023, when he stalked and stabbed his ninth victim, a 15-year-old girl, multiple times in the back as she walked home from school. The attack was a direct response to her rejection of his demands. The girl's life was saved only by the quick intervention of a passing motorist who came to her aid. Dismore, who had been grooming and manipulating his victims since his teenage years, continued his predatory behaviour into adulthood, with his actions becoming more entrenched and extreme over time.
In January 2025, Dismore was sentenced to 38 years' imprisonment at Teesside Crown Court, with an additional five years on extended licence. The sentencing judge described the crimes as 'extreme indeed', justifying the lengthy term despite it exceeding the 35-year upper limit in guidelines. Dismore appealed the sentence's length from HMP Wakefield via videolink, represented by Paul Abrahams, who argued it was unduly harsh. However, the prosecution, through Shaun Dodds, maintained that the sentence was appropriate given the severity of the offences.
Dismissing the appeal, Mr Justice Sheldon stated that Dismore's case was so serious that a life sentence could have been imposed. 'The paedophile's offending escalated and only became more entrenched as he reached adulthood,' the judge remarked, highlighting Dismore's use of stalked information to heighten his victims' terror. The decision was reported by BBC News on 9 December 2025, drawing from court records and statements from HM Courts and Tribunals Service.