CrimeMan and woman jailed for roles in sexually abusing a child

Man and woman jailed for roles in sexually abusing a child

An Ashton woman has been jailed for inciting a man to sexually abuse a 4-year-old boy.

Naomi O’Brien (31) (pictured) received a total of four years and three months in prison, with a four years, four month Sexual Harm Prevention Order and Sex Offender Notification Requirements for life.

Jonathan Walker (33) of Pontsticill, Merthyr Tydfil, was found guilty of sexually abusing a 4-year-old boy, along with engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child and possession of indecent images. He was sentenced to 12-and-a-half years in prison.

During the investigation, chat was also discovered between Walker and O’Brien, indicating a sexual interest in children.

O’Brien incited Walker to sexually abuse the victim on multiple occasions in March 2023.

Following a complex investigation, and in conjunction with South Wales Police, Walker was arrested for multiple offences.

O’Brien pleaded guilty to three counts of intentionally encouraging and assisting another to commit a sexual assault against a child, two counts of intentionally encouraging and assisting another to engage in sexual activity in the presence of a child and engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child.

“We can bring justice”

DI Marsden, of GMP, said: “Firstly, our thoughts remain with the victim and their family having gone through such a terrible ordeal.

“Following a tenacious and lengthy investigation of 1,865 messages, our dedicated team was able to prove that the female suspect’s chats were not simply a case of role play or fantasy – she had knowledge that the male had an interest in sexually abusing a young boy on the direction of her. 

“This is a significant result for what is a very vulnerable and innocent 4-year-old child who was subjected to multiple counts of abuse, but also for all other children in the community who could have been subject to similar offending by a predatory female who was inciting others to commit acts of sexual harm against the most vulnerable in society.

“I hope the sentence sends a strong message to the public that we will pursue all available lines of enquiry to ensure we can bring justice to victims of serious sexual assaults.”

Helen Greaney
Helen Greaney
I'm a journalist with more than 18 years' experience on local, regional and national newspapers, as well as PR and digital marketing. Crime and the courts is my specialist area but I'm also keen to hear your stories concerning Manchester and the greater North West region.
Latest

CHEC wins place on UK’s Best Workplaces in Healthcare list for 4th consecutive year

CHEC is proud to announce that it has been recognised on the UK’s Best Workplaces in Healthcare™ List for 2026, launched today by Great...

Fraudster ordered to repay victim following Trading Standards investigation

A Stockport businessman has been banned from being a director for a further 10 years after he left customers thousands of pounds out of...

Manchester Padel Club and The Christie Charity team up to turn corporate padel into fundraising

Manchester Padel Club in Cheadle and The Christie Charity have announced a new partnership that will enable businesses to combine corporate padel events with...

Behind the scenes at Champions Speakers: Director Jack Hayes reveals a typical day

The business behind the UK's booming events and keynote speaking sector is a fast-moving world of high-profile talent, major corporate bookings and constant relationship...
Subscribe to our newsletter
Business Manchester will use the information you provide on this form to be in touch with you and to provide updates and marketing.
Don't miss

Why AI search could be ignoring your business… even if Google isn’t

Being absent from AI-generated answers doesn't necessarily mean your website or service is poor. It just means the wider web isn't giving AI enough...

Is Manchester Safe in 2026? What Visitors and Residents Should Know

Manchester remains one of the UK's busiest cities for tourism, nightlife, sport, universities and major events. But anyone asking “Is Manchester safe?” in 2026...

Technology and anaesthetic expertise reshape the approach to aesthetic treatment

A combination of medical expertise and emerging technology is being used by Dr Ed Robinson to rethink how cosmetic procedures are delivered, with ultrasound,...

At Liberatum Venice, filmmakers explore how cinema can push back against online judgment

Bruno Wang joined Lee Daniels, Nadine Labaki and Marisa Berenson for a Liberatum-curated conversation about restoring context and humanity in an age of instant...

More News

Fraudster ordered to repay victim following Trading Standards investigation

A Stockport businessman has been banned from being a director for a further 10 years after he left customers thousands of pounds out of...

Car thief jailed after hit-and-run robbery of cyclist

A TEENAGER has been jailed after knocking a young man off his e-bike in a stolen car, leaving him injured on the ground and...

How to make sure your business bounces back after a cybersecurity attack

You’ll rarely see a cyber breach coming. In a matter of moments, everything you've built could be put at risk, leaving you to pick up...