Latest news with #CallumHesketh
BBC News
6 days ago
- BBC News
Bolton: Three men sentenced for sexual abuse of groomed girl
Three men who engaged in sexual activity with a 15-year-old girl who had been groomed over social media have been given suspended jail Linfoot, 24, from Chorley and Thomas Rae, 24, of Chorley, pleaded guilty to one count of sexual activity with a child under the age of 16 in the Rivington area of Bolton in were sentenced to 11 months in prison, suspended for a year, in a hearing at Liverpool Crown Court on Hesketh, 24, of Chorley, pleaded guilty to taking and distributing indecent photos of a child and was sentenced to eight months in prison, suspended for a year. The court heard that on 23 April 2018, Hesketh sent sexual messages to the victim over a social media messaging continued to call and message her over the next few weeks and then abused her on a video call, the court was the evening of 16 June 2018, the victim and her friend got a lift from the Adlington area with Hesketh and Linfoot. The two men picked the two girls up in a white van, which belonged to Linfoot, telling the girls they would give them alcoholic drinks, the court drove to Rivington and parked the van, where the victim's friend received a phone call and stepped outside the vehicle. Hesketh and Linfoot then sexually abused the victim and, while this happened, Hesketh recorded the sex acts on his mobile phone and sent them out via a broadcast option on a social media platform, the court was told. 'Bravery of victim' The victim heard Hesketh talking on his mobile phone and a short while later three more men arrived on of the men, Rae, approached the van and sexually abused the the two girls got into the rear of the van and Hesketh and Linfoot took them back to Adlington and purchased a bottle of wine for them before they drove after the case, Det Con Robert Booth said: "Thanks to the bravery of the victim in coming forward and putting her trust in us. "It must have been very difficult for her to have to sit through interviews and come to terms with what these men subjected her to.""I want to send a clear message to any perpetrators of sexual abuse; that we will not tolerate this abhorrent behaviour, and we will bring you to justice," he Con Booth urged any victims of rape and sexual abuse to contact police. Listen to the best of BBC Radio Manchester on Sounds and follow BBC Manchester on Facebook, X, and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Daily Mail
Men avoid jail for luring schoolgirl, 15, into van before sexually abusing her and broadcasting mobile phone footage to friends who turned up to join
Three men who committed sexual offences against a 15-year-old schoolgirl girl have all been spared jail - after she was groomed online, lured into a van and footage was livestreamed of her being abused. Michael Linfoot, 24, Callum Hesketh, 24, and Thomas Rae, 24, all of Chorley in Greater Manchester, were all convicted of offences in 2018 on Thursday. According to police, the girl was originally messaged by Hesketh on social media in April 2018 and asked for a threesome, which she declined. Over the next few weeks he continued to call and message her and persuaded her to pose in 'different sexual positions' while he masturbated. Two months later on June 16, the victim and her friend got a lift with Hesketh and Linfoot, who were both 18 at the time, in Linfoot's van and the pair drove them to Rivington in exchange for alcoholic drinks. After the girl's friend stepped outside to take a phone call, police say Hesketh began having sex with the victim while Linfoot orally raped her at the same time. Shockingly Hesketh began recording the acts on his phone and livestreamed them on social media, commenting: 'Gang bang out here.' The victim told police she then heard Hesketh speaking on the phone before three more men arrived, and one, Rae, approached the van and orally raped her. The men then drove the two girls to Adlington and purchased them a bottle of wine. At Liverpool Crown Court, Micahel Linfoot, Callum Hesketh, and Thomas Rae, all from Chorley, were each allowed to walk free from court after being given suspended sentences. All three men pleaded guilty to sexual offences at a previous hearing. Linfoot was convicted of one count of sexual activity with a child under the age of 16 in Rivington in 2018. He has been sentenced to 11 months in prison, suspended for 12 months. Rae was convicted of one count of sexual activity with a child under the age of 16 in Rivington in 2018. He has been sentenced to 11 months in prison, suspended for 12 months. Callum Hesketh was convicted of sending sexualised social media messages to the victim and one count of making indecent videos of a child in Rivington 2018. He was sentenced to eight months in prison, suspended for 12 months. A police statement described the horror: 'They drove to Rivington and parked the van where the victim's friend received a phone call and stepped outside the vehicle. 'Meanwhile, Hesketh began to have sex with the victim and Linfoot took his penis from his trousers and orally raped her at the same time. 'While this was happening, Hesketh recorded the sex acts on his mobile phone and sent them out via a broadcast option on a social media platform with the caption, 'Gang bang out here'. 'The victim heard Hesketh talking on his mobile phone and a short while later three more men arrived on motorbikes. 'One of the men, Thomas Rae, approached the van and removed his penis from his trousers and orally raped the victim.' Detective Constable Robert Booth of Greater Manchester Police said: 'Thanks to the bravery of the victim in coming forward and putting her trust in us, we were able to bring these men to justice. 'It must have been very difficult for her to have to sit through interviews and come to terms with what these men subjected her to, but I hope today's result gives her a sense of justice. 'I would like to reach out to victims of rape and sexual abuse that have not yet come forward to let them know that we are here for you, we will support you and work with you at your own pace when you are ready, no matter the passage of time. 'Finally, I would like to send a clear message to any perpetrators of sexual abuse; that we will not tolerate this abhorrent behaviour, and we will bring you to justice.'
The Sun
6 days ago
- The Sun
Sick photo twisted fiend shared after he live-streamed sexual abuse of girl, 15, in back of van by three men
A GIRL, 15, who was groomed online was later videoed being sexually abused in the back of a van by three men. One of the abusers posted a vile photo on social media with the caption "g**g b**g out here" as the incident took place. 4 4 4 The episode took place at night in Rivington, a popular beauty spot on the West Pennine Moors, near Bolton. Three men were sentenced on Thursday for sexual offences against the victim. Micahel Linfoot, Callum Hesketh, and Thomas Rae, all from Chorley, were each allowed to walk free from Liverpool Crown Court after being handed a suspended sentence. They had all pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing. The grooming of the victim began in 2018 who was 15-years-old at the time. Hesketh had messaged the girl on social media asking for her to take part in a threesome but she declined. He continued to call and message her for weeks and would video call asking her to pose in different sexual positions while he masturbated. The victim and her female friend got a lift from the Adlington area with Hesketh and Linfoot one evening in 2018. The two men, aged 18 at the time, picked the two girls up in a van belonging to Linfoot in exchange for alcoholic drinks. In a statement Greater Manchester Police said they drove to Rivington where they parked the van. While the girl's friend left the van to take a phone call, Hesketh and Linfoot began raping the victim. Police said: "While this was happening, Hesketh recorded the sex acts on his mobile phone and sent them out via a broadcast option on a social media platform with the caption, 'G**g B**g out here'. "The victim heard Hesketh talking on his mobile phone and a short while later three more men arrived on motorbikes. "One of the men, Thomas Rae, approached the van and removed his penis from his trousers and orally raped the victim." Afterwards, the two girls got into the rear of the van and Hesketh and Linfoot took them back to Adlington where they purchased a bottle of wine for them before driving off. Following an investigation, the three men who pleaded guilty have been sentenced for their actions. Detective Constable Robert Booth said: 'Thanks to the bravery of the victim in coming forward and putting her trust in us, we were able to bring these men to justice. 'It must have been very difficult for her to have to sit through interviews and come to terms with what these men subjected her to, but I hope today's result gives her a sense of justice. 'I would like to reach out to victims of rape and sexual abuse that have not yet come forward to let them know that we are here for you, we will support you and work with you at your own pace when you are ready, no matter the passage of time. 'Finally, I would like to send a clear message to any perpetrators of sexual abuse; that we will not tolerate this abhorrent behaviour, and we will bring you to justice.' Michael Linfoot has been convicted of one count of sexual activity with a child under the age of 16 in Rivington in 2018. The 24-year-old has been sentenced to 11 months in prison, suspended for 12 months. Thomas Rae has been convicted of one count of sexual activity with a child under the age of 16 in Rivington in 2018. Rae, 24, has been sentenced to 11 months in prison, suspended for 12 months. Callum Hesketh, 24, has been convicted of sending sexualised social media messages to the victim and one count of making indecent videos of a child in Rivington 2018. He has been sentenced to eight months in prison, suspended for 12 months. 4
The Independent
14-04-2025
- Health
- The Independent
‘I was a newborn addicted to crystal meth and heroin – no one should have such a tough start to life'
It's hard to imagine a more difficult start to life than the early days of Callum Hesketh. He spent his first four months in intensive care after suffering a stroke and a cardiac arrest as hospital staff attempted to wean him off crystal meth and heroin – after he was born to a mother addicted to Class A drugs. Adopted at the age of four after 24 temporary placements in foster care, Mr Hesketh was raised by a loving family in St Helen's, and only discovered the true extent of his birth mother's condition as he became older. He had been born via emergency C-section over two months prematurely, and faced developmental delays during his early years, which included a diagnosis of Asperger's Syndrome. As a result of suffering a stroke, he has also had to undergo two squint correction surgeries, including one as recently as in 2020. 'My adoptive parents rewrote my story,' the 28-year-old told The Independent. 'They literally saved me. Children who are in foster care are sadly more likely to turn to those kinds of behaviours and turn to drugs because it's what they've been used to.' Latest figures reveal that over 1,000 newborns are born in England's hospitals every year suffering from neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS), as they experience acute withdrawal symptoms from substances. Freedom of information data shows that nearly 12,600 cases have been recorded since 2014, placing enormous pressure on NHS staff as calls grow for increased spending on treatment and rehabilitation for pregnant women who present at hospital with addiction. Calling for better provisions to be in place for mothers who are struggling with addiction, Mr Hesketh said: 'This puts such a huge strain on the NHS, and they're not getting enough funding to help them and to provide recovery services. 'It needs to be enforced and there should be an action plan in place. It's currently not safeguarded, and in some cases you see a mother go on to have five children, all of them born with the same issues.' Statistics show that there has been a slight decrease in the number of babies being born with NAS over the last 10 years, down from 1,287 in 2014 to 1,001 between January and November 2024. Recent figures released by the Scottish Liberal Democrats revealed that over 1,500 babies had been born drug dependent in Scotland since 2017, as they called for further investment in local drug services. Symptoms can start within a few days of birth and can include uncontrollable trembling, sickness, poor weight gain and a continuous high-pitched cry. Consuming drugs and alcohol during the pregnancy can also lead to development issues for the foetus, and increases the risk of infections. The introduction of the Health and Social Care Act 2012 has seen drastic cuts to addiction services, as it removed their funding from the central government to being commissioned at the discretion of local authorities. With council budgets slashed over the last decade, services have been cut with less support available despite hospital admissions in England and Wales rising by 13.2 per cent between 2012 and 2021. Figures from the Office for National Statistics in October showed that the number of people dying as a result of drug poisoning had reached the highest level on record. 'Drug abuse is becoming a lot worse than it was when I was born in 1996,' Mr Hesketh told The Independent. 'I've got friends who work in a women's hospital, who say they just don't get the support and they're having to comfort babies who can't sleep or eat as they're dealing with addiction.' Now advocating for change, Mr Hesketh is calling for the government to introduce stronger measures to encourage pregnant women to break from the cycle of addiction. 'I was born into withdrawal and had to fight for my life before I even had a chance to live it,' he said. 'This law isn't about punishment — it's about prevention. We need to break the cycle of addiction, protect innocent babies, and give mothers the support they need to make better choices.' This includes mandatory addiction treatment which would involve free or low-cost programmes, financial aid, and housing support for pregnant women, with potential legal consequences for repeat offenders. Graeme Callander, policy and public affairs at addiction service WithYou, said: "It's vital that women who are using drugs during pregnancy receive the right support, for themselves and their child. 'Not enough research has been done on the impact of drug use in pregnancy on the child, and we also know that tragically stigma and shame mean many women are scared to reach out and ask for help. "Our services are free and non-judgemental. You can contact us by visiting our website at and by using our anonymous webchat service 9am-9pm on weekdays and 10am-4pm at the weekend."
The Independent
11-04-2025
- Health
- The Independent
‘I was born addicted to crystal meth and heroin'
It's hard to imagine a more difficult start to life than the early days of Callum Hesketh. He spent his first four months in intensive care after suffering a stroke and a cardiac arrest as hospital staff attempted to wean him off crystal meth and heroin – after he was born to a mother addicted to Class A drugs. Adopted at the age of four after 24 temporary placements in foster care, Mr Hesketh was raised by a loving family in St Helen's, and only discovered the true extent of his birth mother's condition as he became older. He had been born via emergency C-section over two months prematurely, and faced developmental delays during his early years, which included a diagnosis of Asperger's Syndrome. As a result of suffering a stroke, he has also had to undergo two squint correction surgeries, including one as recently as in 2020. 'My adoptive parents rewrote my story,' the 28-year-old told The Independent. 'They literally saved me. Children who are in foster care are sadly more likely to turn to those kinds of behaviours and turn to drugs because it's what they've been used to.' Latest figures reveal that over 1,000 newborns are born in England's hospitals every year suffering from neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS), as they experience acute withdrawal symptoms from substances. Freedom of information data shows that nearly 12,600 cases have been recorded since 2014, placing enormous pressure on NHS staff as calls grow for increased spending on treatment and rehabilitation for pregnant women who present at hospital with addiction. Calling for better provisions to be in place for mothers who are struggling with addiction, Mr Hesketh said: 'This puts such a huge strain on the NHS, and they're not getting enough funding to help them and to provide recovery services. 'It needs to be enforced and there should be an action plan in place. It's currently not safeguarded, and in some cases you see a mother go on to have five children, all of them born with the same issues.' Statistics show that there has been a slight decrease in the number of babies being born with NAS over the last 10 years, down from 1,287 in 2014 to 1,001 between January and November 2024. Recent figures released by the Scottish Liberal Democrats revealed that over 1,500 babies had been born drug dependent in Scotland since 2017, as they called for further investment in local drug services. Symptoms can start within a few days of birth and can include uncontrollable trembling, sickness, poor weight gain and a continuous high-pitched cry. Consuming drugs and alcohol during the pregnancy can also lead to development issues for the foetus, and increases the risk of infections. The introduction of the Health and Social Care Act 2012 has seen drastic cuts to addiction services, as it removed their funding from the central government to being commissioned at the discretion of local authorities. With council budgets slashed over the last decade, services have been cut with less support available despite hospital admissions in England and Wales rising by 13.2 per cent between 2012 and 2021. Figures from the Office for National Statistics in October showed that the number of people dying as a result of drug poisoning had reached the highest level on record. 'Drug abuse is becoming a lot worse than it was when I was born in 1996,' Mr Hesketh told The Independent. 'I've got friends who work in a women's hospital, who say they just don't get the support and they're having to comfort babies who can't sleep or eat as they're dealing with addiction.' Now advocating for change, Mr Hesketh is calling for the government to introduce stronger measures to encourage pregnant women to break from the cycle of addiction. 'I was born into withdrawal and had to fight for my life before I even had a chance to live it,' he said. 'This law isn't about punishment — it's about prevention. We need to break the cycle of addiction, protect innocent babies, and give mothers the support they need to make better choices.' This includes mandatory addiction treatment which would involve free or low-cost programmes, financial aid, and housing support for pregnant women, with potential legal consequences for repeat offenders. Graeme Callander, policy and public affairs at addiction service WithYou, said: "It's vital that women who are using drugs during pregnancy receive the right support, for themselves and their child. 'Not enough research has been done on the impact of drug use in pregnancy on the child, and we also know that tragically stigma and shame mean many women are scared to reach out and ask for help. "Our services are free and non-judgemental. You can contact us by visiting our website at and by using our anonymous webchat service 9am-9pm on weekdays and 10am-4pm at the weekend."
