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Hackney man jailed for filming himself having sex with underage girls Hackney man jailed for filming himself having sex with underage girls
(about 2 hours later)
A man who who contacted thousands of children online and lured at least five of them into having sex with him on film has been jailed for 16 years. A man who contacted thousands of children online and lured at least five of them into having sex with him on film has been jailed for 16 years.
Daniel Rodriguez, 28, who used the online alias “Grymey D”, a rapper, intimidated young girls who feared there might be repercussions for displeasing him, police said. Daniel Rodriguez, 28, who used the online alias Grymey D, a rapper, intimidated young girls who feared there might be repercussions for displeasing him, police said.
The 28-year-old, of Hackney, north London, was caught when detectives examined a 14-year-old girl’s phone and found sexual messages. Rodriguez, of Hackney, north London, was caught when detectives examined a 14-year-old girl’s phone and found sexual messages.
Rodriguez used Facebook and Instagram to shower underage girls with praise, telling them he loved them, and inviting them to the home he shared with his mother, father and sister. He used Facebook and Instagram to shower underage girls with praise, telling them he loved them, and inviting them to the home he shared with his mother, father and sister. His behaviour became more extreme and degrading with each girl’s visit, police said.
He had sex with at least five girls, and his behaviour became more extreme and degrading with each visit, police said.
Rodriguez also kept videos showing him having sex with men, and filmed himself masturbating over the footage.Rodriguez also kept videos showing him having sex with men, and filmed himself masturbating over the footage.
One girl told police he had contacted her on Instagram when she was 13, and she was 14 when she visited his home. On one occasion, the girl brought a friend, also 14, and Rodriguez had sex with both of them.One girl told police he had contacted her on Instagram when she was 13, and she was 14 when she visited his home. On one occasion, the girl brought a friend, also 14, and Rodriguez had sex with both of them.
Following his arrest on 27 August last year, officers seized and searched his phone, BlackBerry and several USB drives, and found videos of Rodriguez having sex with four of the victims, three aged 14 and one aged 15. After his arrest on 27 August last year, officers seized and searched his phone and several USB drives, and found videos of Rodriguez having sex with four of the victims, three aged 14 and one aged 15. Another girl, aged 15, did not want to be interviewed by police but Rodriguez admitted creating an indecent image of her.
A sixth girl, aged 15, did not want to be interviewed by police but Rodriguez admitted creating an indecent image of her.
Rodriguez was sentenced on 15 counts relating to seven victims, including sexual activity with a child, sexual assault, making indecent photographs and causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.Rodriguez was sentenced on 15 counts relating to seven victims, including sexual activity with a child, sexual assault, making indecent photographs and causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.
At Wood Green crown court on Friday he was jailed for 16 years.At Wood Green crown court on Friday he was jailed for 16 years.
Judge Greenberg Judge Joanna Greenberg said Rodriguez targeted “vulnerable and impressionable” girls, telling him: “You cannot have failed to be aware just how seriously the sexual exploitation of children is dealt with.”
said Rodriguez targeted “vulnerable and impressionable” girls, telling him: “You cannot have failed to be aware just how seriously the sexual exploitation of children is dealt with.”
She said many victims of sexual crimes “feel a life-long degradation and shame” and that his expressions of remorse “ring hollow”.She said many victims of sexual crimes “feel a life-long degradation and shame” and that his expressions of remorse “ring hollow”.
Greenberg added that Rodriguez posed “a significant risk of causing serious psychological harm to young girls”.Greenberg added that Rodriguez posed “a significant risk of causing serious psychological harm to young girls”.
On Thursday, Edward Lucas, counsel for the prosecution, emphasised that Rodriguez was predatory. “He preyed on young, vulnerable girls around the ages of 13 to 15. He used his experience, charm and his guile and ultimately his force – his force of personality – to indulge in his own perverted activities.”
Lucas said Rodriguez trawled social media for young girls “with whom he could indulge his sexual fantasies” and there was a “real risk” of him reoffending.
The defence counsel, Charles Evans, had said Rodriguez “certainly did not appreciate the gravity of what he was doing” and was “absolutely stunned” when he learned of the seriousness of the offences.
As Rodriguez was sentenced, Metropolitan police detectives said online grooming was “grossly under-reported”, with many children unable to distinguish between internet and real-life friends.
DS John Macdonald said that men approaching young girls through social media was something police were “particularly concerned about”.
He said figures for online grooming were not “any reflection on what is actually happening”, and that police were dealing with other investigations similar to the Rodriguez case where men had approached hundreds of girls online.
After “lavishing affection on them and then persuading them to come and meet them as potential boyfriend material”, the men took the opportunity to sexually abuse them, Macdonald said, adding that children often did not report the abuse because they were not aware they were victims. He said other children might have been abused by Rodriguez.
An NSPCC spokesman said Rodriguez’s offences had “highlighted yet again the dangers young people face online from grooming by predators”.