Surrey: Man sentenced to indeterminate sentence for sexual offences against boys

September 24, 2012, 4:53 pm

A man was sentenced to an indeterminate sentence of imprisonment, to serve a minimum of at least 14 years, after pleading guilty to 23 sex offences against boys when he appeared at Guildford Crown Court on Thursday (20 September).

Peter Wagerfield, 43, of Daleside Road, Pudsey, pleaded guilty to the 23 offences when he appeared at court on 30 August. The offences related to four boys under the age of 13 years and took place between May 2011 and January 2012. Many of the offences took place at Wagerfield’s address in Epsom, where he was living at the time.

Wagerfield befriended the boys by buying them cigarettes and alcohol and allowing them to smoke and drink in his home. He also bought mobile telephones for two of the boys without the knowledge of their parents, repeatedly texting and calling them using these numbers.

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The offences included rape, attempt rape, sexual assault, inciting a boy between the age of 13 and 15 to engage in a sexual act, and making indecent photographs.

Wagerfield was arrested on 27 January 2012, after the mother of one of the victims contacted police to report that she believed Wagerfield was grooming her son and three of his friends. Wagerfield would often look after the four boys and on several occasions, took them to hotels and encouraged them to engage in sexual activity with each other in his presence.

Detective Constable Trudie Harrison, who led the investigation, said: “Wagerfield groomed these four boys over several months, plying them with alcohol and cigarettes and buying them expensive mobile phones in an effort to win their trust. His offending started with him touching them appropriately but this quickly escalated to far more serious sexual offences. He also took deliberate steps to hide the fact that he bought mobile phones for their boys from their parents.

“The sentence given today reflects the severity of his offending and sends a strong message that grooming and sexual offending of this nature will not be tolerated.

“This conviction also demonstrates Surrey Police’s commitment to treat any allegation of a sexual nature extremely seriously and its commitment that they will always be thoroughly investigated.”

DC Harrison added: “I would also like to commend the victims for their bravery in coming forwards under these extremely difficult and harrowing circumstances.”