Rapist, 20, tricked two girls on Snapchat

Samuel Gorton is seen looking at a camera in a police custody shot. He has short, light brown hair cropped above his ears, with a fringe. He is wearing a white T-shirt with black stripes around the neckline and shouldersImage source, Norfolk Police
Image caption,

Samuel Gorton used social media to trick his young victims, police said

  • Published

A 20-year-old man has been jailed for 12 years for raping two underage teenage girls who he tricked into thinking he was younger.

Samuel Gorton, of Leverington in Cambridgeshire, was found guilty of three counts of rape against the girls, one of whom was from Cambridgeshire and the second from Norfolk.

Gorton, described as a "dangerous individual" by police, targeted both victims using snapchat.

He denied the offences but was convicted after a three-week trial at Norwich Crown Court and was sentenced on Friday.

In addition to his jail term, Gorton was ordered to serve eight years on extended licence and issued with a sexual harm prevention order for 30 years, a restraining order until further notice and was put on the sex offenders register for life.

Gorton targeted both young victims using Snapchat and quickly manipulated a way he could meet up with them, police said.

Despite using a fake Snapchat account and providing his second victim with a false name, Norfolk and Cambridgeshire police forces tracked him down and arrested him in the King's Lynn area in May.

Det Con Paul McCormack, who led the Norfolk Police investigation, said: "Gorton is a dangerous individual who took advantage of two vulnerable young victims.

"I commend their courage and strength throughout this investigation and subsequent trial."

Get in touch

Do you have a story suggestion for Norfolk?