Man who sexually abused young boy after grooming on Facebook is jailed

A man who lured a 12-year-old boy to his house to play games after talking online, before sexually abusing him, was sentenced to 13 years in prison earlier this week.

Ben Flynn, 24, of Kings Walk, Droylsden was sentenced on Monday, 10 April, to 13 years in prison and ordered to sign the sex offender register for life.

The sexual predator was tried and sentenced at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court after pleading guilty to a catalogue of sexual offences.

In March last year, Flynn sent a friend request on Facebook to the young boy despite never meeting or speaking to him.

Once the request had been accepted, the assailant bombarded the minor with private messages and, despite knowing the boy’s young age, luring him round to his home with the offer of letting him play Playstation.

After accepting the offer, the young child went to the house where he was kissed and touched in a sexual manner by Flynn. The boy refused to go with Flynn to the bedroom.

Following this first encounter, Flynn’s daily messages to the boy became highly sexualised as the predator established further meetings with the child.

The pair met at the same address on a further two occasions where other sexual offences against the child took place.

The abuse was only discovered once the boy's sister discovered the messages on Facebook and told their mother. 

Detective constable Claire Pickavance of GMP’s Tameside borough said: “Ben Flynn is a dangerous predator who preyed on a young boy via social media before arranging to meet with him so that he could satisfy his own depraved urges.

“At no point did he give any consideration to the effect that his actions would have on his young victim when he decided to act on them nor did he show a shred of humanity when he continued to attempt to arrange further opportunities to abuse him.

“Thankfully Flynn has now been taken off the streets and is unable to pose a risk to young people, be that online or physically in person.

“I hope the sentence passed here today will send a clear message to those who think grooming children online and abusing them is acceptable or something that they can get away with. 

“That message is simply that it will not be tolerated and we are prepared to investigate and seek prosecution for anyone who engages in the sexual abuse of children.”

A full list of offences that Ben Flynn pleaded guilty to are:

• 2x rape of boy under 13
• 1x attempt rape of boy under 13
• 3x sexual assaults of boy under 13
• 4x cause/incite a child to engage in sexual activity 
• 2x cause a child to watch a sexual act 
• 1x breach of sex offence prevention order