In a case that has sent shockwaves through London's property elite, millionaire developer David Dakessian has been jailed for attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming.
The 46-year-old, who resides in a prestigious £2.5 million Marylebone townhouse, made a fateful journey to Epping Forest in September 2023, believing he was meeting a 14-year-old girl he had been communicating with online.
The Online Trap
Unbeknownst to Dakessian, he was actually conversing with an undercover police officer posing as a teenage girl. Over several explicit conversations, the property mogul discussed sexual acts and arranged to meet his intended victim at the Theydon Bois underground station.
"He was unequivocal in his sexual intentions towards someone he believed to be a child," stated prosecutor Hazel Stevens during the hearing at Chelmsford Crown Court.
The Sting Operation
When Dakessian arrived at the arranged meeting point, police officers moved in to arrest him. A search revealed he had come prepared with condoms and lubricant, leaving no doubt about his intentions.
Officers also seized his mobile phone, which contained the damning evidence of his explicit conversations with the decoy profile.
A Life of Privilege Comes Crashing Down
The court heard how Dakessian, director of Central London-based Trojan Properties, lived a life of considerable wealth and privilege. His property portfolio includes multi-million pound developments across the capital, starkly contrasting with the sordid nature of his crimes.
Defence counsel Andrew Katzen attempted to portray his client as "a hard-working family man" who had shown genuine remorse, but Judge Christopher Morgan was unmoved by these character references.
Sentencing and Consequences
Judge Morgan delivered a stern sentence of two years and eight months imprisonment, emphasising the seriousness of the offence. "You travelled with condoms and lubricant with the intention of committing sexual activity with a child," the judge declared.
In addition to his prison term, Dakessian has been made subject to a 10-year sexual harm prevention order and must sign the sex offenders register for the same duration.
The case serves as a stark warning that wealth and social status provide no protection from justice when it comes to protecting children from predators.
