Northampton paedophile who met girl via Snapchat jailed after admitting 17 sexual offences

Ben Joseph Refeea, of Scarletwell Street, appeared at Northampton Crown Court on May 8 to be sentenced after he pleaded guilty to 17 charges at an earlier court hearing.

The 27-year-old was arrested in August last year after police received a report alleging that he had been in sexual contact with girl under the age of consent.

He went on to be charged with 20 sexual offences, of which he pleaded guilty to 17, including meeting a child following sexual grooming, taking and possessing indecent images of a child and several counts of sexual activity with a child, according to Northamptonshire Police.

Refeea was sentenced to five years and 10 months in prison. He was also placed on the sex offenders’ register for life and given a 10-year sexual harm prevention order, which includes conditions that ban Refeea from any unsupervised contact with a girl under 16 without written approval from social services, from being in any home where a girl under 16 lives, and using any device capable of internet access without this being monitored.

Speaking afterwards, investigating officer Detective Constable Clare Starmer, of SOLAR, said: “I very much hope this helps the victim survivor to continue to rebuild her life and move forward positively. She has been brave, candid and incredibly strong throughout this case and I wish her every success in the bright future that awaits her.”

If you have been a victim of sexual abuse or assault, recent or non-recent, call 101 or report it online.