Mark Stevenson 39

Description

A paedophile targeted teenagers in chatrooms and shared sexual fantasies and pictures with another pervert, a court heard. Mark Stevenson, 37, struck up conversations with what he thought were girls aged 12 and 13 and asked if they wanted to have sex with him.

He did not know the people he was chatting to online were undercover police officers looking to catch paedophiles. But even after his arrest he continued to offend, asking one decoy if she was a virgin and sending videos of himself masturbating.

Stevenson, of Pilton Causeway, Barnstaple, was described in court as a lonely man who led a solitary life. He said he was not motivated by a sexual interest in children but admitted multiple offences, including distributing indecent pictures of children and attempting to engage in sexual communication with children.

The judge said: "The offences represent a series of offences that demonstrate you have a clear sexual interest in young children and those in their early teens. It is quite clear you were seeking out various contacts with those in their early teens and were quickly made aware the children concerned, in each case decoys or similar, made their age known to you but you did not desist."

Stevenson was jailed for 21 months.

Prosecutor Ms Victoria Bastock said Stevenson was arrested after a visit by police to his home address in November 2020. They seized a number of devices and found messages dating back to November 2017.

They showed Stevenson in enthusiastic communication with another paedophile sharing fantasies about rape and sex with children. He also shared indecent images of children aged between five and 16.

Stevenson also joined a teen chatroom and started talking to what he believed was a 13-year-old girl. He followed this up with messages to other decoys on Kik Messenger, Skype and WhatsApp. In each case the conversation was sexual and Stevenson would make lewd suggestions and ask if they wanted boyfriends. He also asked for photos.

Stevenson was released under investigation but committed almost identical offences in July 2021. He joined the UK Teen Friends chatroom and direct messaged a 12-year-old decoy, sending her an indecent video of himself and saying he wanted to see the child naked.

Mr Jason Beal, defending, said Stevenson endured a difficult lockdown, family bereavement and was a good candidate for rehabilitation.

Judge Peter Johnson said Stevenson had minimised his crimes by suggesting he was sharing in the fantasies of others.

The defendant admitted distributing indecent photos of children; making indecent photos of children; four offences of attempting to engage in sexual communication with children and two of attempting to cause a child to watch a sexual act.

He must sign the sex offender register for 10 years and was made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for the same period.