A 41-year-old man from Warrington has been handed an immediate prison sentence at Liverpool Crown Court after using online conversations to plot the sexual abuse and rape of children aged between three and 14.
Michael Cartledge appeared for sentence after entering guilty pleas to a series of child sexual offences following an investigation by Cheshire Police.
The prosecution detailed that Cartledge systematically sought out opportunities to abuse young children. In online communications, Cartledge discussed detailed plans for sexual attacks, scheduled specific dates for the offences to occur, and sent sexual messages via WhatsApp to an entity he believed to be a five-year-old girl.
The offending was uncovered following Cartledge’s arrest on 25 April the previous year in connection with an unrelated matter. While no criminal charges arose from that initial inquiry, forensic examination of his seized Samsung Galaxy mobile phone revealed his communications and attempts to arrange child sexual abuse. Detectives rearrested Cartledge on 27 June, during which he answered “no comment” to all questions.
The court heard that the third parties engaging with Cartledge online may have been attempting to extort money, and the children referenced may not have existed in reality. Cartledge nevertheless proceeded under the belief that the arrangements were genuine, persisting in his conduct until the day prior to his arrest when police confiscated his device. The prosecution noted that Cartledge did not choose to stop his offending; it was brought to an end purely through police intervention.
The court was also informed that Cartledge had a prior conviction from February 2024 for keeping a child from a responsible person, which had resulted in a fine. Defence counsel cited his early guilty pleas, personal background, and cognitive difficulties, submitting that he could engage with rehabilitative support in custody.
Cartledge pleaded guilty to:
Seven counts of arranging the commission of a child sex offence (including child rape)
Two counts of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child
One count of making indecent images of children by downloading them
Passing sentence, the Crown Court judge addressed the gravity of arranging serious sexual attacks on young children and the clear risk posed by his conduct. Cartledge was sentenced to an immediate term of imprisonment.
The court also made Cartledge subject to notification requirements on the Sex Offenders Register, imposed a Sexual Harm Prevention Order restricting his access to internet-enabled devices and contact with children, and barred him indefinitely from working with children or vulnerable adults.
Image – Anonymous Artist Impression
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