Mark Campbell, a 52-year-old former soldier, was sentenced to 18 months in prison at Newcastle Crown Court after he sent sexual messages to an undercover police officer he believed was a 13-year-old girl. Campbell initiated contact on a chat website, asking the decoy profile if she liked older men, and later moved the conversation to Snapchat.
Details of the Offence
Prosecutor Gurjot Kaur told the court that Campbell asked the decoy for a picture of her private parts and sent an image of his penis. He stated that he did not care about their age difference but insisted they would need to be "discreet and careful." Police later searched his home, seizing two mobile phones that contained indecent images of children aged between six months and 10 years. The images included seven category A (the most serious), one category B, and five category C images. One category A image showed three children, including a baby only months old, engaged in sexual activity. Another depicted a child in distress with tape across her mouth.
Defence and Sentencing
Jane Foley, defending, said Campbell was a lonely individual with mental health difficulties, suffering from PTSD after his time in the Army. He had been receiving counselling from a veterans' charity. Foley added: "He is now 52 so it's quite something that he's now in court having lost his good character in these circumstances. ... He recognises the pain and suffering that he's inflicted on others, his wife and his family, his shame and his embarrassment." Recorder Matthew Rose noted that Campbell had minimised his actions during his probation interview, denying sexual attraction to children. Campbell pleaded guilty to attempting to incite a girl aged 13-15 to engage in sexual activity, attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, and three counts of possessing indecent images of children. He was also ordered to comply with a sexual harm prevention order and notification requirements for 10 years.
