Coventry man convicted of sexual offences against teenage girl
Leon Beckham is found guilty and is awaiting sentencing
A man from Coventry has been convicted of multiple sexual offences against a teenage girl after evading justice for his crimes.
Leon Beckham, a 43-year-old from Sandilands Close, groomed the victim over several months in 2024, taking her on outings across the UK where he committed acts of sexual abuse.
When police raised concerns about their relationship, Beckham attempted to avoid arrest by hiding under a bed and later fleeing to Hastings, Sussex.
Upon his arrest, Beckham initially provided no comment during police interviews and later claimed the victim was blackmailing him, although he could not substantiate these claims or explain why he deleted text messages that might have supported his defence.
Beckham was convicted of six counts of sexual activity with a girl aged 13 to 17 and abusing a position of trust.
He is scheduled for sentencing at Warwick Crown Court on 26th June 2026, and remains in custody until that date.
DC Craig Hall from the Eastern PPU team said, "Leon Beckham knew his actions were illegal and wrong and went to extreme lengths to avoid being arrested including hiding under a bed and moving to a different part of the country."
He also praised the efforts of DC Ruth Russell, stating, "Without her tireless work, we would not have been able to build the case against Beckham or secure a conviction."
West Midlands Police encourages anyone who has been sexually assaulted or groomed to come forward irrespective of when the offence occurred.