A SEX offender from Coventry who abused a teenage girl and then went on the run to evade justice has been convicted.
Leon Beckham, 43, of Sandilands Close, 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, West Midlands Police began investigating – resulting in 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 was unable to explain why she would have done this, or why he had apparently deleted text messages which would have supported his defence.
Beckham 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 June 26, and was remanded in custody until that date.
DC Craig Hall from West Midlands Police’s Eastern Public Protection Unit 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 https://tinyurl.com/y86pjk6u for more information on how to report rape, sexual assault and other sexual offences.
