Two men sentenced for abusing children over internet

Two men have been sentenced to a total of 15 years after paying young children to perform sexual acts over the internet.

Both Matthew Mather-Franks, 37, previously of Rushden, and Simon Peach, 36, previously of Northampton, were both Registered Sex Offenders at the time of the offences, and used live-streaming platforms to force young children to perform sexual acts of which they would then screen capture and record.

To encourage the children to perform more serious sexual acts, the pair would give them in-software gifts which could be exchanged for real money.

Following an investigation led by DC Andy Shears from Northamptonshire Police’s POLIT Team, warrants were executed at both of their home addresses – Peach at the beginning of 2020 and Mather-Franks at the beginning of 2021, with a vast amount of child abuse material uncovered at both as a result.

At a hearing in June 2021, Peach was sentenced to seven years in prison with Mather-Franks today (February 11) handed eight years with an extended licence of four years.

DC Shears, said: “I am really pleased to see the lengthy sentences handed out to both of these men who preyed on young children for their own depraved satisfaction.

“Both men used sophisticated methods to try and evade detection which makes their behaviour even more deplorable. However, their attempts to escape capture weren’t enough as there is nothing we can’t and won’t do to uncover child abuse and bring the offenders to justice.

“The protection of children is something that is hugely important to me and to Northamptonshire Police and I hope this case shows that if you are a predator like Peach or Mather-Franks, that we will catch up with you and put you where you belong – behind bars.”