In 2020, the Offender Database recorded that then 23-year-old Matthew Joseph Keets—of Bennett Road, Bournemouth—was jailed for four years and eight months for the grooming and sexual exploitation of a 14-year-old schoolgirl. The investigation established that Keets met his victim via a messaging app in August 2019, where he “vilely” lied about his age, claiming to be 17. The prosecution reported that during their initial communications, the girl explicitly told Keets she was only 14, yet he continued to pursue her for his own gratification.
The investigation established that Keets engaged in “sinister” grooming behaviour that led to sexual activity at his home in October 2019. When the victim was reported missing in November 2019, she was discovered by family members at Keets’ address. Although he admitted to the sexual activity, the prosecution reported that he “predatorily” claimed he was unaware of her age—a lie later disproved by forensic analysis of his mobile phone messages.
Breach of Bail and Digital Exploitation
The court reported that Keets showed a flagrant disregard for the law and the safety of the child. The investigation established that after being released on bail with strict conditions to avoid the victim, Keets continued to contact her. In February 2020, police found the pair together at his address. The prosecution reported that detectives from Dorset Police’s Child Exploitation Team discovered “stomach-churning” indecent images and moving images of the girl on his phone, proving his “prolific” digital abuse.
Judge-led proceedings at Bournemouth Crown Court concluded on Thursday, 29 October 2020, with Keets being sentenced to 56 months in prison. For his actions in Bournemouth and the nature of the “serial” grooming reported, he was convicted of sexual activity with a child, sexual communication, and possession of indecent images. The judge noted that Keets acted in an “utterly wicked” and manipulative way, necessitating a significant custodial term to protect vulnerable young people.
Status and Statutory Requirements
Based on the judicial orders issued at Bournemouth Crown Court in 2020:
- Custodial Status: SERVED (Sentenced to 4 years and 8 months in 2020; custodial term completed).
- Sex Offenders Register: Notification requirements are active (Duration determined by the final sentence and statutory guidelines).
- DBS Status: Placed on the Barring List (Indefinite ban on working with children or vulnerable adults; permanently barred from all regulated activity).
- Legal Status: CONVICTED (Sexual activity with a child x2; Sexual communication with a child x2; Possession of an indecent moving image x1; Possession of an indecent image x4).
- Judicial Oversight: Sentenced at Bournemouth Crown Court; investigated by Dorset Police Child Exploitation Team.
- Criminal Record: Lied about his age to groom a 14-year-old; Found with the victim after she was reported missing; Breached bail conditions to continue the abuse; Photographed the victim for his own “vile” collection.
- Origin: Bennett Road, Bournemouth, Dorset.
Monitoring and Public Protection
Keets is managed as a high-risk registered sex offender under the statutory requirements of the Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) in Dorset. Due to the nature of his conduct—specifically his “calculated deception of the victim and his repeated defiance of court-ordered bail conditions”—he remains a priority for police monitoring. Authorities reported that the 2020 conviction ensured Keets was recorded as a “predatory” threat who utilized “sinister” manipulation to target a child.
As a registered sex offender, his details are permanently logged on the national police database. Authorities state that Keets’ history identifies him as an individual who prioritised his own “vile” desires over the safety and human rights of a vulnerable schoolgirl. Any failure by Keets to notify police of his residency in Bournemouth or elsewhere, or any unauthorised contact with minors, will result in immediate police intervention to ensure the ongoing safety of the public from a man who has violated the principles of human decency.
QUESTION – Given that the offender was found with the victim while on “Bail Conditions” specifically designed to protect her, do you believe that “Automatic Remand” should be legally mandatory for any adult suspect charged with grooming a child to prevent further access during the trial?
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