THE PARENTS of a girl who was sent vile sexual messages on TikTok by a man she believed was 12-years-old have spoken out – after seeing the Long Hanborough paedophile jailed for four years.

Their daughter, who was just eight at the time and who cannot be named for legal reasons, received a flurry of messages from Robert Moors last December.

Sending the missives under the username ‘Goldeneye0073’, 36-year-old Moors claimed initially to be 12. He repeatedly asked about her clothing and suggested she perform what, to an adult, were clearly sexual acts.

READ MORE: Jail for TikTok predator who sent sexually-explicit messages to girls

The messages were sent via the TikTok app, which supposedly has a lower age limit of 13, before the conversation moved on to WhatsApp.

Speaking to the Oxford Mail after Moors was sent down for four years on Wednesday, the girl’s parents said: “People need to be a lot more aware of how easy it is for children to be contacted online.

“Now, it’s a lot easier for people like him to sit behind a phone than approach a child.

“As they’re growing up you can’t continuously take things away from the children.

“I would just advise everybody that reads this to double check [what their children are doing online] for their own peace of mind – just check.”

He said his daughter had shown him what Moors had sent, just as the other victim showed her father the messages.

“There are other children out there who perhaps aren’t in the same home environment,” he added.

“I would say just try and be as open as you can with your children.”

The dad also suggested that children needed to understand that they could not necessarily trust what was sent to them by others online.

He said: “She was convinced because he said that’s how old he was [12] that he was.

“You need to try and explain to children, especially at that age if they are on those platforms, there are people who won’t tell the truth.”

READ MORE: Jail for knifeman who tried to get into North Oxford Conservative Club

Officer in the case DC Samantha Bonner said: “In my 18 years’ service with the police, the content of the messages and videos found on Moors’ devices were the worst I have ever seen.

“The children in this case have been very brave in coming forward and I hope that Moors being brought to justice provides them some form of closure.”

She echoed the younger victim’s parents in urging other parents and guardians to keep an eye on their children’s web activity.

Ms Bonner said: “I would also like to advise parents and guardians to always be mindful about what their children get up to online, particularly on social media, as there are people out there looking to take advantage of them.

“So, always insist on strong privacy settings, parental locks and other measures to keep children safe when using the internet, and educate them about the dangers of chatting to people they do not know.”

Read more from this author

This story was written by Tom Seaward. He joined the team in 2021 as Oxfordshire's court and crime reporter.  

To get in touch with him email: Tom.Seaward@newsquest.co.uk

Follow him on Twitter: @t_seaward