January 2018

Convicted paedophile, 51, who contacted a 13-year-old boy who was selling toy cars online and ended up abusing the teen in woods is jailed for nine years

A convicted paedophile who contacted a 13-year-old boy selling toy cars online before sexually abusing him has been jailed for nine years. 

Predator Mark Heyes, 51, targeted his victim after the teenager advertised items for sale on an internet site.

He turned up at the boy’s home in March and offered him a job but was told by the boy’s step-mother that it was inappropriate because of his age.

A family member warned Heyes not to make further contact with the boy – but the family became aware the boy had a lot more money than he should have.

It was discovered Heyes used the child to offer one of his friends the chance to earn money from sexual encounters.

Heyes had paid the boy £50 for a sexual act at his home, after previously taking him to Weelsby Woods in Grimsby, Lincolnshire, and abusing him.

Heyes, of Ingoldmells, Lincolnshire, admitted causing a child to engage in sexual activity, two charges of breach of a previous sexual offences prevention order and a further two charges of failing to notify the authorities of details as required as part of his sex offenders’ registration.

He was jailed for nine years, with a five-year licence extension, at Lincoln Crown Court on Friday.

He was also placed on the sex offenders’ register for life and given an indefinite sexual harm prevention order.

The court heard Heyes had previously been jailed on four separate occasions after previous convictions of gross indecency, indecent assault, child abduction and breach of a sexual offences prevention order.

Recorder Martin Hurst, said: ‘In my judgement you are a determined, persistent, guileful, cynical and predatory paedophile.

‘You have shown no remorse and you have shown no regret.

‘You have shown no insight into the offences you commit or of the risk you pose to boys.

‘It is perfectly plain to me that you pose a very significant danger in the future to young teenage boys.’

Prosecutor Esther Harrison said police were contacted and investigations revealed that Heyes met up with the 13-year-old.

She told the court he took him to woods on the first occasion.

On another occasion he took the boy to his home at Ingoldmells and forced him to perform a sexual act paying him £50.

Miss Harrison said ‘There was planning and there was grooming.

‘There was also, to a degree, threats.’

She added that Heyes was at the time being monitored by the authorities because of his previous offences but managed to conceal the fact that he had moved from Bradford to Ingoldmells.

The court was told that Hayes was convicted of gross indecency with a child in 1987 and then in 1993 was jailed for three years at Bradford Crown Court for indecent assaults on a young boy.

He was subsequently jailed for five years in 1996 for child abduction and received a further three years at Sheffield Crown Court in 2003 for indecent assault on a boy.

Then in 2012 he was jailed for 30 months at Derby Crown Court for breach of a sexual offences prevention order.