Description
A paedophile caught as part of a sting operation by a vigilante group was proposed to in court by his girlfriend as he was hauled off to prison. Vicky Owen shouted: "Baby I love you, will you marry me?" to Mark Owen as the 53-year-old was jailed for 22 months at Harrow Crown Court on June 27.
He replied "Will do", as a bewildered Judge John Lodge peered over his glasses and Ms Owen apologised for interrupting. Mark Owen, of Brentfield House, Stonebridge, previously pleaded guilty to three charges of sexual communication, grooming, and inciting sexual activity.
It comes after so-called paedophile hunter vigilante group COBRA UK passed messages to the Metropolitan Police showing he had contacted a 14-year-old decoy over a period of five days last year, MyLondon reports.
Prosecutor Dipan Varsani explained how Owen sent the decoy, named 'Jessika', a photo of his penis and asked her to send one back of her in the shower. The court also heard incriminating texts where Owen wrote he wanted to 'make love' to the girl and asked her to wear a short skirt so he could easily reach between her legs when they met.
Mr Varsani said: "We know [the planned meeting] was to 'make love' and touch her in between the legs. And asking her to wear a mini-skirt so when they met he could put his hand up her skirt."
Mr Varsani added: "He also sent inappropriate messages, all the whilst thinking and knowing it was a 14-year-old. He sent a picture of his penis, and requested inappropriate pictures from the decoy child."
Defending Nick Wells described his jobless client as "completely naïve and pathetic" after he posed as a mechanic and spoke to the decoy about his favourite football team and food.
Mr Wells said: "He's not a sex offender, he does not have a history of paedophilia, he does not think he would have gone through with it. He really comes across in many ways as a pitiful person, he's a heavy drinker and has not had a successful life."
"It's a personal humiliation on him of the highest kind, it's against his whole image of himself," Mr Wells added. "He pretended to be a mechanic to this decoy but he's unemployed. The high point of this is 'make love' but the rest of it is just pathetic."
Chelsea fan Owen had already spent nearly five months in custody when he appeared arms crossed in a grey tracksuit before the court. Judge Lodge explained the most serious count of inciting sexual activity fell into a lower category of harm because it "wasn't clear" full penetrative sex was going to take place, and the use of a decoy gives a small discount as Jessika was "not a real child".
Judge Lodge sentenced Owen to 22 months in prison for inciting sexual activity with a child, and six months each for sexual communication and grooming. He will serve half his sentence in custody and is entered on the Sex Offenders Register for 10 years.
Vicky Owen declared herself as Owen's girlfriend at the start of the hearing, then stood up and proposed to him as he was jailed. Before leaving the court she asked Judge Lodge for clarification on her new fiancé's sentence.
MyLondon approached Ms Owen outside the court but she refused to comment.