A senior NHS manager described as "devious, scheming and manipulative" has been sentenced to 28 years in prison for raping and sexually assaulting young girls he groomed through Snapchat.
Systematic Grooming Operation
Paul Lipscombe, 51, from Rothley in Leicestershire, admitted to 34 offences against six girls aged between 12 and 15. The crimes occurred between September 2023 and April 2024 after he targeted his victims using multiple profiles on the social media platform.
Leicester Crown Court heard how Lipscombe created fake Snapchat accounts using names like Dom Woodmore and George, telling the girls he was in his late 20s or early 30s. Five of the six victims eventually met with him and were subsequently raped or sexually assaulted.
Discovery and Arrest
Police became aware of Lipscombe's activities in April 2024 when a 15-year-old girl reported missing told officers she had been raped. The investigation led to his arrest when police pulled over his car in Birstall, near Leicester, on suspicion of kidnapping the missing teenager.
Prosecutor Frida Hussain KC explained that the girl had gone missing from her home late at night and was picked up by Lipscombe nearby. He then took her to a hotel before police eventually found the child at a rented address.
Subsequent searches of the hotel, his car and home uncovered crucial evidence including soft toys, restraints, vodka, and mobile phones - one of which had been wiped clean.
AI-Generated Child Abuse Material
The court heard disturbing details about Lipscombe's additional criminal activities. A significant number of indecent images of children were discovered on his devices and online storage accounts.
More alarmingly, Lipscombe had established a website where people could purchase illegal videos of child abuse created through artificial intelligence technology, marking a concerning evolution in digital child exploitation methods.
Sentencing and Consequences
Passing sentence on Tuesday 11 November 2025, Judge Keith Raynor told Lipscombe he was "intelligent, confident, resourceful and well-organised" and that his victims were "truly vulnerable".
"The evidence shows you to have been devious, scheming and manipulative. You were bold in your offending and you took very high risks. The sexual abuse of young girls was an obsession in life for you," Judge Raynor stated.
Lipscombe pleaded guilty to 34 offences in February, including:
- Two counts of rape of a child under 13
- 21 counts of sexual activity with a child
- Three counts of sexual assault of a child under 13
- Causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity
- Six counts of making indecent photographs of children
- Distributing indecent photographs of children
He received a prison sentence of 28 years and one month and must remain on licence for three years after his release. Lipscombe has also been placed on the sex offenders register for life.
Ongoing Investigation
Detective Constable Lauren Speight from the Child Abuse Investigation Unit confirmed that their investigation continues. "We suspect he may have been in contact with other girls and could well have committed sexual offences against others. We would urge anyone who has been in contact with him to contact us."
Lipscombe worked as a performance and informatics specialist with the University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust. The trust confirmed he was suspended upon arrest and later dismissed in June 2024, noting that "nothing has been identified at this stage to indicate this individual's criminal activity was committed as part of their role".
