A young boy was groomed by a teaching assistant who went on to sexually assault him, a court has heard. The alarm was raised when a member of the public saw 38-year-old Terri Cook out with the primary school-aged boy in September last year.
Police launched an investigation and found that Cook had bought the child expensive gifts before manipulating him into engaging in sexual acts over a period of nine months.
Cook, of Masefield Avenue in Radcliffe, has now been sentenced to four-and-a-half years in prison for eight charges of sexual offences.
The victim's mother shared a powerful letter to Cook following the sentencing and said that her child will be forced to live with her actions for the rest of his life.
Mother's Letter in Full
She said: "To Miss Cook, I trusted you. You were in a position of trust and power. Your role was to help children and keep them safe. Instead, you abused your position and harmed [the victim], not once but repeatedly.
"You knew about his past and deliberately used his vulnerability to your advantage. You have taken so much away from him at such a young age. This will affect his life forever, and it will be him who lives with the consequences of your selfish actions."
Speaking about her son, the mother added: "He was a happy boy who was extremely kind and caring to everyone around him. Despite experiencing traumatic events earlier in his life, he continued to be positive and compassionate. He smiled every day and made us all laugh."
Police Statement
After Cook was sentenced on Thursday, May 14, Detective Sergeant Adam Stanfield from Bury’s Child Protection Investigation Unit said: "I'd firstly like to thank the immense bravery and courage of the victim throughout these proceedings. It is no easy thing to go through, but his and his family's support throughout this case has enabled us to put a sexual predator behind bars.
"This case was a horrific example of calculated abuse of power, and Cook targeted a vulnerable child who put his trust in her. Grooming is a form of manipulation that can leave lasting emotional and psychological damage, and our priority remains protecting young people and supporting victims as they recover.
"This sentencing also emphasises our unwavering commitment to protecting male victims. They can be victims too and I urge anyone who believes they may have been through anything similar to please report to us. We will always listen. You will always be taken seriously. And we will always take action."
A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police added: "A teaching assistant from Bury has been sentenced after pleading guilty to multiple sex offences against a vulnerable boy of primary-school age. Terri Cook (17/11/1987) of Masefield Avenue, Radcliffe, appeared at Minshull Street Crown Court yesterday, where she was sentenced to four-and-a-half years in prison for eight charges of sexual offences.
"In September 2025, officers from our Child Protection Investigation Unit began an intense investigation into Cook after a member of the public reported seeing her out with a young boy. The subsequent investigation showed she had been grooming and manipulating him into engaging in a sexual relationship with her. Officers found numerous messages on her phone where she had been inciting sexual communications with the boy and holding indecent images of him. Cook was also found to have been buying him expensive items, jewellery, and clothing during their relationship for a period of over nine months."
