A READING man has been convicted of inciting child sexual exploitation following a Thames Valley Police investigation.
Alvin Agard, aged 23 and of Valentia Road, was found guilty of two counts of inciting the sexual exploitation of a child and one count each of causing the sexual exploitation of a child, meeting a child following sexual grooming, and distributing an indecent image of a child at Reading Crown Court on Thursday, December 12.
The jury found him not guilty of one count each of sexual assault on a female 16 or over and inciting the sexual exploitation of a child at the same hearing.
He is now on conditional bail and is set to be sentenced at the same court on Friday, February 16.
It follows incidents between September 2018 and March 2019, where Agard used a number of social media accounts to ask teenage girls for indecent images of themselves.
In some cases, he used threats, and repeatedly engaged in sexual communications with them before meeting one of the victims in Prospect Park in October 2018.
Investigating officer Detective Sergeant Peter Principi said: “This has been a lengthy and challenging investigation.
“Alvin Agard targeted a number of young girls, assisted by social media to hide behind false profiles hoping to escape apprehension.
“I am incredibly grateful to all the young victims in this case who have shown great bravery in coming forward and outstanding patience in this case.
“Thames Valley Police will always take these reports seriously and pursue sexual offenders relentlessly, especially when it involves children, regardless of how much time has passed.
“I would encourage anyone who has suffered any form of sexual abuse to come forward and report it, either by calling 101, via our website or by visiting a police station.”
