Jailed Kent sex offender targeted children across the world

A sex offender from Kent who abused a young child and engaged in explicit conversations with others has been jailed.

Jonathan Martin filmed himself committing a number of serious sexual assaults against a boy and also encouraged children from outside the UK to engage in sexual activity online.

Kent Police’s Paedophile Online Investigation Team was first alerted to Martin’s offending in May 2022 after he uploaded indecent images of children to the internet.

Searches at his home address in Swanscombe found mobile phones and a tablet under the kickboard in the kitchen.

Martin was further arrested in July 2022. When officers arrived at his home address to make the arrest, he was seen to throw a laptop from his balcony. Searches of the property located two mobile phones hidden inside cereal boxes and a toaster, along with other devices.

When investigators examined the contents of the phones, numerous videos and images were found of the 35-year-old sexually assaulting a young child. Extensive work was conducted and investigators were able to identify the child victim, who has since been safeguarded.

Officers also found sexual conversations with other victims, some as young as 10. Martin had encouraged them to engage in sexual acts, send him pictures and to meet with him. On one occasion it was established that Martin had arranged to meet a child in a park but he was late and the child had to leave.

Homeland Security

Kent Police worked together with Homeland Security Investigations and shared information regarding children living in the US, whom Martin had been offending against online. All identified children were visited and safeguarded by US authorities. Through other work with Interpol, a child in Finland who Martin had been in contact with was also safeguarded.

A total of 162 videos were found on Martin’s devices of which 59 were of the most serious Category A.

A further 1,095 images were found including 175 Category A.

Martin, from Swanscombe, was charged with a total of 32 child sex offences including rape, sexual assault, inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, making indecent images and others.

Jailed

He pleaded guilty to all but two of the offences and on Monday 6 November 2023 at Woolwich Crown Court was sentenced to ten and half years in prison. He will also serve another year on licence. Martin was also placed on the sex offenders register for life and issued with a lifelong sexual harm prevention order.

Detective Constable Michelle James of the Paedophile Online Investigation Team said:

‘Jonathan Martin is a very real danger to society and I am certain he would have abused more children had we not been alerted to his offending. I would like to commend the child victim who was sexually abused by him for having the courage to speak with investigators.

‘This case serves as a reminder that the online world is a public one and it is important everyone understands the risks.’

Detective Inspector Robert Grieve added:

‘This sentencing shows that Kent Police works hard with partner organisations to target offenders who are using the internet to exploit young children. 

‘This type of offending knows no borders but this case shows there are also no boundaries when it comes to safeguarding children and identifying perpetrators.’

Advice for parents/guardians

• Check what online restrictions you can put in place as most devices have parental controls. Ask your child to be open and honest with you about their passwords and profiles.

• Watch out for uncharacteristic behaviour. Are they being upset or secretive? Have they recently changed friends, or is there a change in the amount of time they are spending online?

• It is important your child checks privacy settings online regularly, especially when updating apps. The same applies for their location settings too.

• Encourage them to use strong passwords such as three or more random words or capital letters, numbers and symbols.

• Talk about the risks when uploading and sharing private information. You can never be sure whose hands it will end up in or who can see it.