June 2019

Man jailed after sexually assaulting a woman he met through using a fake profile on dating app

A man who pretended to be a pilot and masseur has been jailed for sexually assaulting a woman he met through a dating app.

Peter Ferguson claimed to be an airline pilot called ‘Matt Parker’ when he met the victim through the Bumble app in September last year.

They exchanged messages and phone calls and during one conversation he offered to arrange a massage after she told him she was feeling achey after going to the gym.

She received a text message from an unknown mobile number, which purported to be from a masseur called ‘Steve’.

On the day of the appointment, he arrived at her home in the Highwoods area of Colchester and claimed to be a masseur with 20 years’ experience.

She noticed ‘Steve’ and ‘Matt’ had similar voices and used similar expressions, but he denied any connection.

He sexually assaulted her during the massage, claiming it was what ‘Matt’ had paid for.

He stopped when she continued to tell him no.

When he left, she searched for ‘Steve’s’ phone number on the internet and found a photograph of Ferguson.

It was the same man and the 43-year-old, of Keelers Way, Great Horkesley, was arrested the following day.

He was convicted of sexual assault by penetration and sexual assault on April 4 following a four-day trial at Chelmsford Crown Court.

He was today, Friday, May 7, given a 32 months custodial sentence for sexual assault by penetration and 14 months for sexual assault, both sentences to run concurrently. Upon his release he will also be made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for ten years and put on the Sex Offender’s Register indefinitely.

Inspector Lisa Norcott said: “Ferguson spun a calculated web of lies, with the intention of committing an abhorrent assault that has had a lasting impact on his victim.

“I hope today’s sentence gives her some comfort that justice has been done and I want to praise her courage throughout the investigation and trial.

“Predators such as Ferguson are highly manipulative and convincing. They prey on women seeking love and friendship and it’s possible there may be other people who are affected by this case.

“I would encourage them to please tell us. We will support you and we will do everything we can to bring offenders to justice.

“But I also understand you may not be ready to contact us, so I would urge you to please speak to someone and not suffer in silence.”

The victim in this case said Ferguson was very convincing, even one occasion describing in detail how he was allegedly in Bangladesh.

When he offered to book the massage, she had expressed concern about having a stranger visit her at home, but he had reassured her it would be safe.

She urged anyone meeting other people online to be vigilant, to be careful about how much personal information they disclose about themselves and to meet in a public place.
She said: “I still feel embarrassed and ashamed at putting myself in such a vulnerable situation and putting my trust in someone who cruelly deceived me.

“I had this awful feeling that no-one would believe me and so often I would have a ‘wobble’ becoming very emotional, to the point I really didn’t think I would be able to go through with the trial.

“I couldn’t have done it without the support I received from the Independent Sexual Violence Adviser Service, investigating officer DC Dianne Smith and my friends.

“I feel this has affected my self-esteem and it has certainly knocked my confidence and trust in people.

“I don’t seem to be able to make my own decisions any more and question everything, which is something I didn’t have an issue with before the incident.

“I am now trying to move on with my life but what happened to me will always have an impact on me.”