Man jailed for rape of child met via Snapchat

A man has been jailed for the rape of a child, who he met on Snapchat, after being found guilty by a jury following a trial.

Joshua Emery, aged 25, of Cannock, was handed a seven-year jail term on Monday (29 September) at Stafford Crown Court, after being convicted of raping a girl aged 13 to 15 in August 2022.

Emery was found guilty of the offence in court at the end of June 2025.

Along with his prison sentence, Emery has also been placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register for life and has been ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £228 upon his release.

The court heard how Emery, who was 22 at the time, raped the girl - who he stated he believed was 16 or older - and who he had contacted through Snapchat, near Essington Pools in August 2022.

Specialist officers carried out inquiries immediately and traced Emery through a taxi booking he made to the location. He was arrested in the following days and his devices and clothing were seized.

Emery denied the offence, but the victim gave compelling evidence and a jury found him guilty.

Following the sentencing on Monday, Detective Constable Hayley Cave, of our child protection and exploitation unit, who was the officer in the case, said: “This was a harrowing case of an extremely serious sexual offence involving a child.

“I’d like to praise the victim, whose courage in coming forward and supporting the investigation has been instrumental in securing this conviction.

“Her strength and resilience are commendable.”

Rape is one of the most horrendous, complex and challenging crimes that people can experience and Staffordshire Police is committed to achieving the best outcomes for victims.

Our officers are specially trained to thoroughly investigate these crimes, and to make sure that those reporting them are properly supported and put those responsible before the courts.

We want to reassure anyone who has suffered a sexual offence that if you can find the courage to come forward and speak to us, we will listen to you and treat you with sensitivity and compassion.

Anyone who has experienced this type of crime should feel confident to report their experiences of harm to the police directly or indirectly, safe in the knowledge that they will be taken seriously and that they will be treated with dignity and respect. 

To find out more about how we support victims, see: Operation Soteria – Transforming the Investigation of Rape.