Chatham man in court for child sex offences

A man has admitted to multiple child sex offences and is due to be sentenced in January 2024.

Matthew Lockwood, of Edgewater on St Mary’s Island, was arrested by officers on Thursday 9 February 2023 and taken into custody.

Lockwood, aged 47, appeared at Canterbury Crown Court on Monday 11 September 2023, after admitting to 22 child sex offence charges and one drugs charge.

Charges

• Two counts of sexual communication with a child
• Three counts of sexual activity with a child
• Three counts of causing sexual exploitation of a child
• Six counts of distributing an indecent image of a child
• Two counts of paying for sexual services of a child
• Causing a child to watch a sexual act
• Five counts of possession of indecent photographs of a child
• Possession of a class B controlled drug.

He has been remanded in custody until his sentencing, which is scheduled for Friday 12 January 2024 at Canterbury Crown Court.