Former Christian missionary jailed after preying on young boy

A sex offender who groomed a young boy and sent him photos and videos of naked men has been jailed. 

Martyn Fryatt groomed the child over the course of a year, sending him sexually explicit messages and images and videos of naked men and young boys.

The 71-year-old repeatedly told the boy to delete the photos so that his parents wouldn’t find them.

Fryatt, a former Christian missionary, was arrested after the boy’s mum discovered the images and messages on her son’s phone and called the police.

The phone was analysed by specialist officers who uncovered numerous sexually inappropriate WhatsApp messages that had been sent by Fryatt, along with images and videos of men and young boys exposing themselves.

Fryatt, of Burnopfield, was charged with several offences, including making indecent images of a child, possessing a prohibited image of a child, and engaging in sexual communication with a child.

He admitted the charges and appeared at Durham Crown Court last Thursday (August 20) where he was jailed for a year and two months.

He was also made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and placed on the sex offender register, both for ten years.

Detective Constable Graeme Whitfield, from Durham Constabulary, led the investigation. He said: “Fryatt showed disturbing levels of predatory behaviour towards a young boy and groomed and manipulated him for his own sexual gratification.

“He showed no consideration for how his behaviour would have affected the child, who has shown strength beyond his years during the police investigation.

“I would also like to pay tribute to the boy’s mother, who had the courage to report her concerns about Fryatt to police.

“Fryatt is manipulative, controlling, and a danger to young children – this sentence and the orders imposed upon him on release will ensure that he no longer has access to children.”

If you have suffered sexual abuse, please come forward and report it to police – either on 101, or in an emergency by calling 999. 

Further advice and support:

• NSPCC – call 0808 800 5000, email [email protected], or visit www.nspcc.org.uk
• Childline – call 0800 1111 or visit www.childline.org.uk
• The Meadows Sexual Assault Referral Centre - call 0330 223 0099 or visit www.sarcdurham.co.uk