Tom Heckley

Tom Heckley, a 25-year-old man from Woodhall Spa in Lincolnshire, was sentenced to seven years and two months in prison at Lincoln Crown Court on 22 January 2026, following his guilty plea to 15 non-recent sex offences against children.

The offences occurred in 2021 when Heckley was 20 years old. He was convicted of seven counts of sexual activity with a child involving penetration, one count of engaging in sexual communication with a child, and one count of attempting to cause a child to watch a sexual act. These crimes were committed against a teenage girl in the Lincolnshire area. The case came to light after a police report in October 2023.

• Police seized and examined Heckley's phone, uncovering chat logs and six counts of possessing indecent images of children, which involved other teenage girls under the age of 16 at the time.
• The investigation was led by Detective Constable Kye Sykes of Lincolnshire Police.

In addition to the custodial sentence, Heckley was made subject to an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) and a restraining order. He was also placed on the Sex Offenders Register.

Detective Constable Kye Sykes commented: “We’d like to pay tribute to the bravery of the victim in this case. Having the courage to report a traumatic event and placing her trust in us meant that we were able to identify other victims and safeguard them to the best of our ability.” Sykes further emphasised: “Despite the case being reported three years after it took place, we hope that this case reiterates that it is never too late to report if you are a survivor of sexual abuse. We will do everything we can to thoroughly investigate historic offences and hold offenders accountable for their actions.”

The sentencing was reported by Lincolnshire World, based on a statement from Lincolnshire Police. The court appearance followed Heckley's arrest and the subsequent forensic examination of his devices, which provided key evidence in the prosecution.