Ex-Hastings councillor and former Battle Scout leader pleads guilty to string of child sexual offences
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Matthew J Lock, 38. unemployed, of Ore Place, admitted 19 charges in total at a hearing at Lewes Crown Court.
A spokeswoman for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said Lock pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent photographs of a child, one count of distributing indecent photographs of a child, two charges of distributing/showing indecent photographs of a child or children, two counts of attempting to intentionally incite a child to engage in sexual activity, 10 counts of attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity, and one charge of attempting to incite a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity.
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Hide AdThe attempted incitement offences took place between 2010 and 2013, online, involving two separate boys who are not from Sussex, are not known to each other with no local safeguarding issues.
The indecent images offences happened between 2006 and 2013.
Lock was remanded in custody last month after appearing in court at an earlier hearing.
He was due to face trial at Lewes Crown Court this month but the CPS spokeswoman said today (Monday, September 19) that Lock pleaded guilty to the 19 charges at a hearing on September 8.
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Hide AdThe former St Helen’s ward representative resigned from the council on May 19, 2015, citing ‘personal problems’ and ‘ill health’.
But the ex-Conservative group leader had been on police bail for six months after being arrested on November 24, 2014.
Lock, an ex-1st Battle Scout leader, was suspended by the Scout Association as soon as it was ‘made aware’ of the arrest in November 2014, according to a spokesman.
Lock is due to be sentenced on November 25, the CPS said today.
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