Man Jailed for 18 Months After Faking Soldier Identity to Abuse Teen Girl

Michael Hewitt, 19, was sentenced to 18 months in prison after being found guilty of using a fake social media account to manipulate a 15-year-old girl into sending him intimate photos and videos.

Hewitt, from Swaffham Prior, Cambridge, created the fake account in March 2020 and posed as a soldier serving in Afghanistan. He contacted the victim, who did not initially respond to his request for sex. However, Hewitt persisted and the victim began to engage in an online relationship with his fabricated persona.

Over several weeks, Hewitt, under his alias, constantly requested intimate content from the victim, who eventually sent him photos and videos. Hewitt then started subtly referencing himself in the messages sent by his fake identity.

On May 12, 2020, Hewitt sent an email from a different fake account, pretending to be the soldier's father. The message claimed the "soldier" had died in Afghanistan and that his dying wish was for the victim to start a relationship with Hewitt.

The victim's mother became suspicious after noticing no reports of British military deaths in the news and contacted the police. Officers investigated and discovered Hewitt's involvement, linking the fake accounts to his IP address.

Hewitt denied the charges of causing or inciting a girl aged 13 to 15 to engage in sexual activity, but was found guilty by a jury at Cambridge Crown Court. He was sentenced on December 2 at Peterborough Crown Court and also placed on the Sex Offenders Register for ten years and given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for ten years.

PC Guy Spencer, who investigated the case, stated, "Hewitt went to great lengths to complete this deception and take advantage of the victim. She fully believed Hewitt's alias was real and the online relationship was genuine. To deceive someone and then abuse that trust is awful." He also expressed hope that Hewitt would reflect on the impact of his actions during his prison sentence.

Spencer commended the victim for her courage in coming forward and providing evidence throughout the investigation.