Man from St Neots jailed for inciting child into sexual activity
Anthony Woodberry sentenced to over two years in prison
A man from St Neots has been sentenced to over two years in prison for inciting a young girl to engage in sexual activity.
Anthony Woodberry, a 67-year-old resident of Harvey Street, Eynesbury, committed the offence during one afternoon in 2023.
Following the incident, Woodberry instructed the young girl not to inform anyone of the abuse. She later confided in her parents, who promptly notified the police.
Woodberry was arrested the following morning, and police seized several electronic devices from his home. Upon examination, his phone was found to contain extreme pornography.
Woodberry admitted to possessing the extreme materials but claimed ignorance of their illegality, citing curiosity as his motive.
In June, a trial held at Peterborough Crown Court found Woodberry guilty of causing or inciting a girl under 13 to engage in sexual activity without penetration.
At a sentencing hearing Woodberry received a sentence of two years and four months in prison. Additionally, he has been placed on the Sex Offenders Register for 10 years.
Detective Constable Alice Tasker, involved in the investigation, commended the young victim for her bravery in reporting the incident.
"The victim showed great courage in speaking out about what had happened, and I would like to commend her bravery throughout the investigation and court process. Her actions ensured Woodberry was held accountable for his crimes," Tasker said.
"Child sexual abuse can have a lifelong impact on victims. We take all reports extremely seriously and will do everything we can to safeguard children, support victims and bring offenders to justice.”