A senior NHS executive has been sentenced to 28 years in prison after grooming and sexually abusing six young girls he met through Snapchat.
Paul Lipscombe, 51, who worked as a performance and informatics specialist at the University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust, used fake profiles to contact girls aged between 12 and 15. Over several months, he manipulated them into meeting him in secluded places, where he carried out repeated assaults.
The case came to light in April last year after a 15-year-old from Lincolnshire was reported missing. Officers later found her at a rented property in Leicestershire. Lipscombe was initially arrested on suspicion of kidnap, but further investigation revealed a pattern of calculated abuse.
The girl later disclosed that Lipscombe had raped her. Detectives then uncovered that he had targeted five more victims across the UK using fake names such as Dom Woodmore and George. In one exchange, he posed as a therapist to gain a young girl’s trust.
Messages shown in court revealed his manipulative tactics. In one, he wrote: “If there’s anything you need – help, advice, beers, vapes, lifts whatever – just let me know.” To another, he said, “OMG really?? We should celebrate! What would you like to do?” after she told him she was turning 15.
Lipscombe pleaded guilty to 34 offenses, including 21 counts of sexual activity with a child, two counts of raping a child under 13, and multiple counts of sexual assault and indecent image creation.
Investigators also discovered that Lipscombe had been generating and distributing indecent images of children using AI technology. He ran a website where others could buy or commission such images.
Several of the victims provided powerful impact statements in court describing the emotional and psychological damage he caused.
One of them, who was just 12 when the abuse began, said: “I regret ever accepting his request when he randomly added me on Snapchat. I regret ever falling for his lies and meeting him. He did things to me that I wasn’t old enough to understand and now because of him I am scared of meeting new people.”
Another victim, 15, told the court: “I no longer like going out alone and I get really scared if I am out and men are close to me. Before all of this I could only see the good in people, but he has opened my eyes and I now see just how evil people can be.”
A 14-year-old girl said she is still “haunted by the memories and the nightmares,” while another added, “My anxiety is a lot worse – I feel constantly sick. When I do get to sleep, I have nightmares about him – I see him and hear his voice.”
Detective Constable Lauren Speight from Leicestershire Police’s Child Abuse Investigation Unit said the investigation remains open amid fears there may be more victims.
“Our investigation into the offending carried out by this man is continuing,” she said, urging anyone with information to come forward.
Authorities described Lipscombe’s actions as “predatory and premeditated,” exploiting social media to manipulate vulnerable children while maintaining the façade of a respected NHS professional.
