Dean Farrar charged with inciting sexual activity with a child online

Dean Farrar has been charged after a sex act was performed in front of a child over a social media site.

Farrar (05/10/1966), of Oakshaw Drive, Rochdale, is charged with inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity.

The charge relates to an incident in October 2014, during which a man performed a sex act before a girl, 10, having contacted her through a social media site.

He was remanded in custody at his first court appearance and is next due to appear at court in April 2015.

As part of the ongoing investigation police are examining a number of electrical devices recovered from his home.

Detective Chief Inspector John Harris, said: “We are investigating an incident whereby a very young girl has been subjected to a man performing a sex act.

“This has come about after contact was made on social media sites and the whole incident is obviously extremely distressing for her and her family.

“This investigation is ongoing and we have a number of enquiries to make but I would like to take the opportunity to urge parents to be mindful about what their children are doing online and who they are talking to.

“Some children may try and disguise their internet activity or seek to keep it a secret, but where possible parents – especially of very young children – should scrutinise their devices and look at their ‘friends’ list.

“If there is someone on there you are unsure of or who you know to be a stranger then think about who could be behind that profile as they will not always be as they seem.”

Visit www.itsnotokay.co.uk for information for children, young people, parents, carers and professionals on how to spot the signs of online child sex exploitation and what to do about it.