A man who groomed and sexually assaulted a teenage girl has been jailed for 11 years.

Nathan Rutland, 37 (07.08.81) of Ruskin Court, Charles Street, Islington, was sentenced to 11 years’ imprisonment with an extended licence of four years on Friday, 9 November at Blackfriars Crown Court after pleading guilty on the same day to:

– Three counts of sexual assault by penetration with a child;
– Sexual grooming of a child;
– Inciting a child into sexual activity;
– Five counts of breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

He will remain on the sex offenders register and have a Sexual Harm Prevention Order against him for life.

The court heard that in April, Rutland began messaging the victim – who was 13 years old at the time – through Spotafriend, a friend-finding app designed specifically for teenagers. Rutland then requested they spoke over Snapchat, where the messaging continued.

Rutland then groomed her, before meeting her at his home address and paying her £100 for sex.

The victim’s mother became aware and reported it to police on Wednesday, 25 April. Detectives from the Met’s Child Abuse and Sexual Offences Command (CASO) then launched an immediate investigation.

Rutland was arrested at his home address on Thursday, 3 May and charged with the above offences the following day.

Detective Inspector Mark Rogers, of CASO, said:“Rutland is a sexual predator who preyed on a vulnerable, young child who he groomed online for his own sexual gratification.

“He was fully aware of the victim’s age before exploiting her and even boasted to her that she was the youngest child he had ever had sex with.

“I believe there are further victims of Rutland out there and I would like to encourage them to come forward and report it to police, where you will be fully supported.”

If you have been a victim of sexual assault of any nature, or are concerned about a child being at risk of child sexual exploitation, please contact police on 101. Alternatively, you can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at crimestoppers-uk.org

Safe is our dedicated website for young people and adults alike, giving advice and support on all forms of online abuse. From cyberbullying and sexting to social media stalking and online grooming, visit safe.met.police.uk find out how to stay safe online.

Advice on online grooming can also be found on many websites such as the NSPCC.