December 2014
Bideford man admits raping boy, 12, after grooming him on internet
AN internet predator has admitted raping a boy of 12 after police found incriminating photographs on his Skype account.
Simon Rockey groomed the schoolboy after meeting him on Facebook and lured him back to his home in Bideford where he had sex with him.
He persuaded the boy to continue seeing him for eight months and during that time they exchanged messages on Skype which included images of the boy at his home.
Rockey was warned he faces a long jail sentence after a Judge at Exeter Crown Court ordered a report to assess his dangerousness and remanded him in custody until the New Year.
Rockey, aged 48, of Meddon Street, Bideford, admitted two offences of rape, two of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and five of sexual activity with a child.
Recorder Andrew Oldland said: “I need a report from the probation service simply for the assessment of dangerousness and they will have to look at the grooming and the extent to which it was targeted at this 12-year-old boy. This is also a case in which images were kept.”
Emily Pitts, for the prosecution, said: “The defendant accepts the background, which includes grooming as an aggravating feature. The officer in the case hopes the victim and his family will now be able to provide full impact statements.”
David Sapiecha, for the defence, said evidence from Skype conversations and Rockey’s computer have only been provided in the past two weeks.
He said: “The Skype messages include two images of an indecent nature of the complainant in the defendant’s home. There were 234 pages of Skype messages.
“These offences involved a single child. There were no others and no previous convictions for such matters. Rather than looking for others, this was someone he met on Facebook.
“It is clear from the Skype logs he was not aggressive or exerting pressure on the complainant.”
