In 2026, the Offender Database recorded that Cameron Preston, then 27, of Cherry Tree Crescent, Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire, was jailed for five years and three months for a “malicious and manipulative” campaign of abuse. On Friday, 13 February 2026, Preston appeared at Grimsby Crown Court for sentencing. The court reported that the defendant orchestrated a two-year period of sexual exploitation and stalking against a teenage boy, beginning when the victim was 15 years old.
The investigation established that in January 2020, Preston—then 22—met the boy on a messaging app by falsely claiming he was 16. After gaining the victim’s trust through this deception, he engaged in sexual activity with him. Between November 2020 and April 2022, Preston launched a campaign of harassment using a fake persona named “Connor” to send threatening messages, claiming the boy was being watched. Humberside Police reported that Preston also bombarded the victim’s home with up to 30 malicious deliveries a week, including taxis and takeaways, and created a fake dating profile to facilitate threats of exposing indecent images.
Judicial Findings and Investigative Detail
The court reported that Preston acted as a “predator” who deliberately encouraged the victim not to contact the police while posing as his only source of support. Grimsby Crown Court heard how the victim finally reported the torment in April 2022 after he could no longer endure the psychological impact. The judge noted that Preston’s behaviour was designed to isolate and terrify the teenager for his own gratification. A detailed investigation by the Protecting Vulnerable People Unit, supported by digital forensic officers, traced the malicious accounts and deliveries directly back to the defendant.
The judge noted that Preston pleaded guilty to three counts of engaging in sexual activity with a child, three counts of making indecent photographs of a child, and stalking involving fear of violence. For his actions in Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire, he received a custodial sentence exceeding five years. The prosecution reported that the use of specialist digital evidence was crucial in dismantling Preston’s elaborate web of deception and identifying him as the sole perpetrator.
Sentence and Statutory Requirements
For his crimes in England, Cameron Preston was handed:
- Custodial Sentence: Five years and three months in prison.
- Sex Offenders Register: Notification requirements are in effect for life.
- SHPO: A ten-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).
- Restraining Order: An indefinite restraining order protecting the victim.
- Judicial Oversight: Sentenced at Grimsby Crown Court following full guilty pleas.
Monitoring and Public Protection
Preston is managed under Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) by Humberside Police and the prison estate. Due to the “sustained and orchestrated” nature of the abuse in Grimsby, North East Lincolnshire, his management is subject to the highest level of oversight by the Public Protection Unit.
As a member of the Sex Offenders Register, Preston must comply with notification requirements regarding his residence in Cherry Tree Crescent, Grimsby, for the rest of his life. Authorities state that his ten-year SHPO and indefinite restraining order are vital tools to prevent him from exploiting other vulnerable individuals through digital deception. Any breach of his registration conditions, his SHPO, or his indefinite restraining order will result in immediate arrest and a return to Grimsby Crown Court.
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