Leon Beckham, 43, has been sentenced to five years in prison for six counts of sexual activity with a girl aged 13 to 17. He was convicted at Warwick Crown Court on June 26.
Beckham had groomed the teenage girl over several months in 2024 and took her on day trips and visits across the country where he sexually abused her. When she came forward, Beckham denied the offense, claiming she was blackmailing him, but was unable to explain why or provide evidence to support his defense.
Background: Beckham repeatedly moved around the country to avoid being caught after his arrest in 2024. He was eventually tracked down and found hiding under a bed at an address in Hastings, Sussex. Beckham will also be on the National Sex Offender Register for life and has been given a lifetime ban from working with children.
The conviction is the result of tireless work by DC Ruth Russell, who built the case against Beckham alongside her team. The police are urging anyone who has been sexually assaulted or groomed to come forward and report their story, regardless of how long ago it happened.
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