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A Stockport sex offender has been jailed for 13 years after he coerced and groomed teenager girls in sex work.
Christopher Oates of Tannock Road, Stockport was jailed at Manchester Crown Court on Thursday.
First Victim Speaks Out
One of the victims who was only 14 at the time was groomed by Oates who pretended to be her boyfriend during that relationship he piled her with drugs, then persuaded her to start sex work in Manchester.
In a victim impact statement, that was read out in court, she said: “One of the hardest pills to swallow has always been “how”, how can one human being make another do something so extreme.
To have to read letters I wrote idolising this man, professing my love for him, and telling everybody that would listen he was my boyfriend is heartbreaking.
“The trust I remember feeling, the love and how special I must have felt at a time when I felt completely alone in the world is what I’ve had to accept is the “how” I would have done anything, and you used that for your own sick advantage
“You groomed me, you put a gun to my head, and not only did you abuse me, but you let other men too. The fear, the pain and confusion I felt I can’t begin to put into words. And the impact of this?
“Even now I struggle to trust my own judgements 20 years later; I can’t make simple decisions without feeling wrong, overwhelmed, and panicked. I still don’t trust me.”
Second Victim’s Impact Statement
The second victim was 17 when Oates convinced her to start sex work.
Oates would supply them with cocaine and heroine, aiming to get them addicted, however they declined and broke free from the hood he had on them.
The second victim also provided an impact statement, which stated: “I was bullied and manipulated and the person responsible for this was Christopher Oates.
“At the time when the exploitation was happening, I felt ashamed, embarrassed, and pressured by Oates. I felt absolutely vile during and after the incident involving the video camera and also when I stood on street corners, I felt scared about who would be in the next car that stopped, and I was terrified.
“Since this time, I have regularly had to pass the location of where this happened when travelling on the train, and I have had to look away and look out the other side, so I did not need to see it.”
Other Crimes
Oates fled abroad in 2021 after police discovered 130 indecent images of children.
By 2023 Oates was arrested at an address in Stockport where investigators discovered he had been sending sexualised messages to a child on social media.
Senior Investigating Officer Detective Inspector Eleanor Humphreys, from the police’s CSE Major Investigations Team, said: “I would like to commend the two women at the centre of this case for the strength they demonstrated throughout our investigation and subsequent legal proceedings.
“It has been an arduous process for them to relieve the horrific abuse, and I am so grateful they placed their trust and confidence in our team to pursue justice.
“Their resilience and determination were the driving force behind reaching today’s outcome, where a dangerous man begins serving a lengthy sentence behind bars, far away from causing any more harm or misery.
“Despite Oates’s cowardly attempts to evade facing justice, the evidence we uncovered was overwhelming, and his crimes finally caught up with him. I hope this brings these survivors a sense of closure after all these years.
Lucy Dowdall, Specialist Prosecutor for the CPS’ Organised Child Sexual Abuse Unit, said: “Christopher Oates targeted vulnerable girls he knew he could use and take advantage of for his own financial gain.
“After grooming them and gaining their trust, Oates treated the victims like property and subjected them to appalling abuse and violence, making them too afraid to come forward for many years. I would like to thank them both for coming forward and speaking out about what they went through. The strength of their evidence meant that we were able to build a compelling case, leaving Oates with no choice but to plead guilty during his trial.
“The Crown Prosecution Service remains dedicated to pursuing justice for victims of child sexual abuse and will continue to work tirelessly with law enforcement partners to hold violent sex offenders like Oates accountable – no matter how much time has passed since they committed their crimes.”
Andrew Clifford is a journalist at The Sentinel Current with a diploma in journalism. Based in Tyne & Wear, he specialises in crime reporting and amplifying voices in the community. Andrew follows The Sentinel Current’s editorial guidelines to provide accurate and balanced news coverage.
- Andrew Cliffordhttps://www.thesentinelcurrent.com/author/adminandrew/
- Andrew Cliffordhttps://www.thesentinelcurrent.com/author/adminandrew/
- Andrew Cliffordhttps://www.thesentinelcurrent.com/author/adminandrew/
- Andrew Cliffordhttps://www.thesentinelcurrent.com/author/adminandrew/
