April 10, 2017 12.09 pm This story is over 83 months old

Ninja Warrior sex predator from Lincoln jailed for grooming 13-year-old

Sex fiend jailed: A Lincoln strongman and college lecturer has been jailed for three years for grooming a 13-year-old.

Shane Oakden told the girl "age doesn't matter when you're having fun".

A strongman and Lincoln college lecturer who groomed a 13-year-old schoolgirl using social media sites, sending her explicit photographs of himself, has been jailed for three years.

Shane Oakden, who was a recent contestant on the ITV programme Ninja Warriors UK and was reportedly deemed ‘too big’ for the Gladiators TV show, initially contacted the girl on Facebook and went on to send her photographs of himself and asked her to send him naked images of herself.

Oakden also told the girl what he wanted to do with her sexually.

Lincoln Crown Court heard that Oakden knew the girl’s age but told her “age doesn’t matter when you’re having fun”.

He went on to encourage her to meet him and spend the night in a hotel together but that never happened.

The matters came to light when his victim’s mum became concerned at her daughter’s behaviour and checked out the teenager’s phone.

Shortly afterwards the 13-year-old disappeared sparking a police hunt.

Victoria Rose, prosecuting, said: “The phone was handed over to police.

“Messages were recovered from the girl’s phone. He was requesting she send him naked photographs of herself.

“On the phone there was one of her in her underwear and one of her naked that had been sent to the defendant.

“There were also communications with the defendant telling her what he would like to do with her sexually.

“He was encouraging her to meet with him and stay overnight at a hotel.”

The prosecutor said that Oakden also sent the girl explicit photographs of himself as well as videos of himself masturbating.

Miss Rose told the court that the girl was so badly affected adding: “She has had counselling. She said she ran away because she could not bear to see the anger and disappointment on her parents’ faces. She has now lost trust in adults.”

Oakden, 45, of Wentworth Way, Lincoln, admitted two charges of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and a further charge of inciting child exploitation.

Judge Michael Heath, passing sentence, told him: “You knew her age. You told her that age doesn’t matter when you’re having fun.

“The only sentences I can impose for these offences are custodial sentences.”

Mark Knowles, in mitigation, described Oakden as a broken man.

He said Oakden lost his job following his arrest at work and his marriage had already ended before he contacted the girl.

Detective Sergeant Simon Todd, from the Public Protection Unit, said: “This is a powerful message to perpetrators who communicate in a sexual way with children.

“Whenever someone suspects or is aware a child is being contacted by an adult in an inappropriate sexual way they should report it.

“New legislation has been introduced this month to specifically deal with both online and offline, including oral communications.”