Description
A vile predator from Leeds trawled the internet looking for like-minded parents who would let him abuse their children.
Connor Churchill latched onto what he thought were two guardians on the messenger services Kik and Snapchat, asking to either abuse their children or watch them abusing the youngsters.
There was even an agreement to meet one at a service station on the M62 where he could abuse their eight-year-old niece, although Churchill made excuses not to attend.
But the profiles were both being run by undercover police officers, posing as paedophiles, Leeds Crown Court heard. Churchill, 24, admitted two counts of arranging a child sex offence, and three counts of making indecent images of child abuse was found on his Samsung phone.
Prosecutor Ayman Khokhar said he first made contact online in July 2022 when he said he was looking for like-minded people with a kink. He said he preferred girls aged between six and 14 but was open to most.
After the officer offered up his fictitious eight-year-old niece, there was a meeting arranged at Hartshead Moor Services.
He was also communicating with with another officer on Kik after he told Churchill that he had a seven-year-old daughter. Churchill, now of Clog Mill Gardens, Selby, but who had been living in Micklefield, discussed having sex with the girl, but again he made excuses about meeting.
He was arrested on October 11, 2022 and told officers: I would never have gone through with it. I need help. His mobile phone contained five category A images - the most serious - one category B and six category C.
He continued to claim he had no sexual interest in children. Mitigating, Celine Kart told the court: He desisted from attending those meet-ups. He made several excuses. He backed out of them.
He is incredibly remorseful. Its clear he is ashamed. To be blunt, he hates what he did and hates himself. He is not afraid to address his offending behaviour. Its a complex journey he is embarking on.
Judge Andrew Stubbs KC took into account his remorse, his lack of previous convictions, and that he backed out of the meetings. But he jailed him for five years, gave him a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) and put him on the sex offender register for life.