Prescot cheerleader coach groomed and abused girls

Tom Walsh abused girls and sent them images of child abuse, the court heard

A cheerleading coach who sexually abused girls and sent them child abuse images has been jailed for 15 years.

Tom Walsh, 37, of Prescot, admitted multiple counts of sexual abuse against three girls at Bolton Crown Court.

Walsh, of Shaw Lane, also admitted possession and distribution of child abuse images and will serve a further five years on licence.

He was also given a lifetime sexual harm prevention order.

Walsh admitted 28 sexual offences against children committed over a nine-year period.

Greater Manchester Police said he was a cheerleader and assisted with the coaching of children for a number of years.

The offences were committed in the North West, although Walsh also communicated with a number of girls across the UK to obtain images from them.

His crimes were uncovered during an investigation by Regional Organised Crime Units (ROCU).

Its undercover officers communicated with Walsh online and he revealed to them his sexual interest in young girls.

The investigation uncovered numerous indecent images of children saved on Walsh's device and messages between him and a number of victims, primarily on the app Snapchat.

'Six years grooming'

GMP said a number of victims were identified, including the three girls who were victims of child sexual abuse.

He contacted one victim online when she was 13, and over the next six years groomed and sexually abused her.

Det Ch Insp Suzanne Keenaghan of GMP said: "Walsh was placed in a position of authority and he professed to be a father figure and friend to his victims, but he was their abuser.

"He was manipulative, predatory and exploitative, and used typical grooming behaviour to befriend children who were going through difficult times and were vulnerable.

"For one victim, cheerleading was supposed to be a safe space but Walsh used it as his hunting ground. He has never shown remorse or recognition for what he has done."