A man has been jailed for 25 years after being found guilty of using dating apps and posing as a “sugar daddy” to sexually exploit seven teenagers.

John Bancroft, from Essex, was found guilty of four counts of rape, meeting a child following sexual grooming, paying for the sexual services of a child, attempting, causing or inciting the sexual exploitation of a child, and attempting sexual communication with a child.

During a seven-week trial at Snaresbrook Crown Court, he was found to have used apps such as MyLol to target vulnerable girls in order to manipulate them.

The 68-year-old used the sites to offer “sugar daddy” arrangements with teens aged between 13 and 18 from 2016 to 2017.

His brother, Graham Manicom, was also found to have met the victims for sex in a hotel room on two occasions.

The 62-year-old, also from Essex, pleaded guilty to two counts of paying for the sexual services of a child and was handed a four-year sentence.

The two men came to the attention of police after one of the victim’s sisters grew suspicious of someone she was speaking to online and reported it.

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Sadomasochistic acts, 100 messages a day and indecent images

During the trial, the court heard how Bancroft would tell the victims he was much younger than his actual age and offer them money to participate in sexual acts with him.

He offered to be their mentor, teacher, and father but, in fact, he was “satisfying his own twisted demands,” Metropolitan Police said.

The court was told Bancroft would send victims up to 100 WhatsApp messages a day when they did not reply and would drive them to remote areas for sex.

As a result of the persistent messages, some of the victims met Bancroft and in return for food, money, or gifts, were expected to pander to his demands, including group sex and sadomasochistic acts.

He also took indecent images of the girls and shared them on WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger.

Prior to the trial, Bancroft pleaded guilty to causing actual bodily harm against a child during sexual activity and 14 counts of taking, possessing, and distributing indecent images of children.

In the second week of the trial, he pleaded guilty to a further 15 offences including paying for the sexual services of a child, causing or inciting the sexual exploitation of a child and attempted sexual communication with a child.

‘A serious risk to vulnerable women and girls’

The brothers were described by police as “sick and twisted” and as posing a “serious risk to vulnerable women and children.”

Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy, who is the Met’s lead responsible officer for exploitation, said: “I am glad they will be behind bars for a significant period of time.”

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