Predator Who Sent 1,200 Messages to Child Jailed After BTP Investigation

A man who relentlessly targeted a 12‑year‑old girl with more than a thousand online messages has been jailed for almost five years after a British Transport Police investigation exposed his sustained grooming campaign.

Michael Lawrence, 38, from Tudor Road in Hinkley, was convicted at Leicester Crown Court of two counts of Inciting a Girl Under 13 To Engage In Sexual Activity. The verdict was delivered on 13 February following an earlier trial in which he denied all wrongdoing. Despite his not‑guilty pleas, the judge imposed a prison term of four years and 11 months, along with a two‑year extended licence period.

Lawrence will remain on the sex offenders register for life and is now subject to an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order. The order bans him from unsupervised contact with anyone under 16 unless those present are fully aware of his convictions. It also restricts his use of social media and prevents him from deleting search histories or encrypting devices.

The court was told that Lawrence first approached the victim at Kettering station during the summer of 2022. Over the next two years, he bombarded her with more than 1,200 messages and voice notes across social media platforms. Investigators said he initially built a friendship before shifting to increasingly explicit communication, telling the child he had a “crush” on her and repeatedly attempting to initiate sexual contact. In one message he wrote “sorry if I’m being flirty with you I’m naughty,” and the following day suggested they could “be together secretly.”

During one month‑long period, he sent 223 messages, including a conversation in which he warned her to be cautious about what she told her father about him.

The exchanges only came to light during a separate police inquiry. When officers arrived at his home to arrest him, Lawrence reportedly asked them: “do you think I’m f****** dangerous?”.

BTP Detective Constable Alex Price said:

“This sentence is testament to the courage of the young girl who supported our investigation to get this extremely dangerous sexual predator behind bars. The disgusting motive for Lawrence’s behaviour is obvious from the sheer number of messages he sent to her and his deliberate, escalating behaviour over two years, yet he’s never shown any remorse for his actions nor the lifelong impact they will have had on the young girl. If you experience or witness any sort of behaviour which makes you feel uncomfortable on the railway, text us discreetly on 61016, or call 999 in an emergency. We will always take you seriously, and we’ll stop at nothing to bring sexual offenders like Lawrence to justice.”

Image: British Transport Police