A 13-year-old girl was “trembling” with panic after discovering that the “friend” she believed she was conversing with online was the Ellesmere Port Paedophile, Blake Potbury, actually a 29-year-old man utilising his stepdaughter’s phone.
The schoolgirl believed she was communicating via Snapchat with a peer until Blake Potbury ominously enquired: “What if this is not the individual you presumed it to be?”
On October 16, 2023, Blake Potbury, residing at Horace Black Gardens in Ellesmere Port, utilised his stepdaughter’s phone to add the 13-year-old as a contact on the instant messaging application.
Upon disclosing his true identity, he enquired of the girl whether she had a boyfriend, the age of the eldest boy with whom she had engaged in any activities, and the nature of those activities.
Judge David Knifton KC stated: “You dispatched a Snapchat request to the girl using your stepdaughter’s phone, fully aware that she was merely 13 years old.”
She grew apprehensive upon receiving the message, ‘What if this was not the someone you believed it to be?’
Upon her inquiry, you disclosed your authentic identify along with an image of your visage. You subsequently sent her a sequence of texts, embellished with Xs and kisses, in which you enquired about her relationship status, the oldest male with whom she had engaged, and the nature of their interactions.
You also dispatched multiple messages requesting her to assure that she would not disclose your connection or correspondence to anyone.
Blake Potbury refuted allegations of sexual communications with a minor and said that the girl was fabricating the accusations to conceal her own “inappropriate” conduct.
Blake Potbury was convicted of the crime during a trial and received a 12-month prison sentence.
He was additionally subjected to a sexual harm prevention order.
Blake Potbury possessed multiple prior convictions for 12 offences, including unlawful wounding in 2023, for which he was sentenced to a suspended term in January 2024. At the moment he contacted the girl, he was under bail conditions.
In November 2024, he was sentenced to an additional 52 weeks in prison for possessing a “large machete knife.”
The judge stated: “You are evaluated as presenting a significant risk of severe harm concerning your conduct towards female minors.”
If you or anyone you know have been affected by the people highlighted in this website, then please report those individuals to the Police on 101 (999 if an emergency) or visit their online resources for further details of the options for reporting a crime. You can also make a report at Crimestoppers should you wish to be completely anonymous. There is help available on our support links page.