Daniel Potterton

Daniel Potterton, a 20-year-old from Dennis Estate, Boston, Lincolnshire, was jailed for six years at Newcastle Crown Court after pleading guilty to child abduction, two counts of sexual activity with a child, engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child, and meeting a child following sexual grooming. Potterton randomly added the schoolgirl on Snapchat in June 2022 and began grooming her online, leading to him driving 180 miles to South Tyneside to abduct her.

The court heard that the girl's parents, concerned about the contact, confiscated her phone, prompting her to damage their home and contact police. Undeterred, Potterton arrived near her home, and she joined him in his Vauxhall Corsa, disabling her phone's GPS. They had sex in the car, after which she returned home with love bites, appearing obsessed and believing they were in a relationship. She refused a medical examination.

On a second occasion, Potterton returned to the North East, and the girl sneaked out again, returning at 5am after her mother alerted police. Text messages revealed her requests to go away with him, including to France, showing the depth of the grooming. Northumbria Police investigated the case, highlighting the dangers of online predation.

Judge at Newcastle Crown Court sentenced Potterton to six years custody, reflecting the manipulative and exploitative nature of his actions against the vulnerable schoolgirl.