'Prolific' child sex offender jailed

Liam Crosby was given a six-year jail sentence with three years on licence

A "prolific" sex offender who was arrested after an indecent image of a child was uploaded to Snapchat has been jailed for six years.

Liam Crosby, of Harewood Rise in Keighley, was found guilty of numerous sex offences against children after a trial at Bradford Crown Court.

These included making and distributing indecent images of children and attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity.

Crosby, 31, was sentenced on Tuesday to six years in custody with a three-year extended licence period.

'Victim's bravery'

Bradford Crown Court heard he was arrested on 11 July 2022 following a referral from the National Crime Agency after an indecent image of a child was uploaded from a Snapchat account linked to him.

West Yorkshire Police said his phone was seized, and further indecent images of children and numerous sexualised communications with children were found.

After he was charged and summonsed to court in relation to a number of offences, police received information that Crosby had been linked to similar offences involving a 15-year-old victim.

He was further arrested and another device seized, and police found more images and sexualised communications with children.

He was charged with additional offences and remanded into custody.

Det Sgt Craig Stevens, of the Bradford District Online Child Abuse Investigation Team, said: "He is a prolific offender who deserves to be behind bars for a long time.

"The victim has shown immense bravery throughout this process, and I hope the conclusion of this court case brings them some closure on an extremely difficult period in their young life."

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