Coventry man convicted of sex offences against teenage girl

A sex offender who went on the run to evade justice for his crimes has been convicted.

Leon Beckham groomed a teenage girl over several months in 2024.

Beckham would take the girl out on day trips and visits to places across the country where he would sexually abuse her.

After concerns were raised over their relationship, our officers began investigating resulting in 43-year-old Beckham trying to hide under a bed to avoid arrest.

Despite this, he was arrested and interviewed, providing no comment to officers

Beckham failed to answer his bail and he was tracked down to an address in Hastings, Sussex, where he was again arrested.

This time, he denied the offence, accusing the girl of blackmailing him, but being unable to explain why she would have done this or why he had apparently deleted text messages which would have supported his defence.

Beckham, of Sandilands Close, Coventry, was convicted of six counts of sexual activity with a girl aged 13 to 17 as well as abusing a position of trust.

He will be sentenced at Warwick Crown Court on 26 June and was remanded in custody until that date.

DC Craig Hall from our Eastern PPU team said: "Leon Beckham knew his actions were illegal and wrong and went to extreme lengths to avoid being arrested including hiding under a bed and moving to a different part of the country.

"An extra thank you should go to DC Ruth Russell. Without her tireless work, we would not have been able to build the case against Beckham or secure a conviction.

"We would urge anyone who has been sexually assaulted or groomed to come forward and tell your story.

"However long ago it happened, we will work tirelessly to bring perpetrators of this kind of abuse to justice."

Visit Report rape, sexual assault and other sexual offences | West Midlands Police for more information.