Former X Factor singer jailed for inducing boys to send indecent images

A former X Factor contestant who groomed and induced teenage boys to send him indecent images for money has been jailed by a judge who branded him a "despicable creature".

Danny Tetley, who reached the semi-finals of the singing competition in 2018, blamed his offending on the "fame he could not cope with", Bradford Crown Court heard.

A prosecutor said Tetley's victims were offered hundreds of pounds forsexualised images and videos of themselves, after he had got them onside by discussing girls, offering to lend one boy a car, and by passing on pictures of members of The X Factor cast.

The court heard that the 39-year-old "spent likely many thousands of pounds" on convincing seven teenagers to send him pictures, telling one of them: "Trust me, money ain't a prob as long as they are good."

One of the boys later said "we let him get away with it" because of theamount of money they were offered during the conversations on WhatsApp.

His offending - which ran over a "period of months" until his arrest in May last year - came to light when the parents of one of the boys became concerned about the amount of money he had and looked through his phone.

The singer admitted seven charges of causing sexual exploitation of boys aged between 14 and 16, as well as two counts relating to the distribution of indecent images.

Wearing a grey sweatshirt, bearded Tetley, of St Enoch's Road, Bradford, showed no emotion in the dock on Friday morning as he was jailed for nine years, plus an extended licence period of eight years.

The Recorder of Bradford, Judge Durham Hall, told him: "Those in the public eye have a deep responsibility which many you see exercise magnificently, with additional work for society.

"Many will see you, I'm afraid, for what you are, to some extent: a despicablecreature with very few redeeming features."

The judge said there was significant interest in the sentencing "because ofthe extent of the depravity displayed in this case, including a number of young victims, but also your celebrity status, now gone, tarnished and destroyed".

Describing the offending as "blatant and disgusting", the judge added: "Thelevel to which you sank, Mr Tetley, was unbelievable."

Tetley sat in the dock with his arms folded and his head bowed for much of the sentencing hearing.

An NSPCC spokesman added: