A 49-year-old man from Merseyside is behind bars after being caught in a sophisticated undercover police sting designed to snare online predators.
Paul Fairclough, of St Helens, began conversing with who he believed was a 13-year-old girl on a popular social media platform. The 'girl' was, in fact, a dedicated undercover officer from a specialised police unit.
Over the course of their exchanges, Fairclough's conversations quickly turned sexual in nature. He proceeded to send a series of deeply disturbing and explicitly indecent images to the profile.
Unbeknownst to him, every message was being documented by the police. His actions led to a swift investigation and his subsequent arrest.
Fairclough appeared at Liverpool Crown Court where he faced the music for his crimes. The court heard the details of the depraved exchange that left no doubt about his intentions.
He was sentenced to 16 months in prison for his actions. In addition to his custodial sentence, the judge imposed a stringent 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) and ordered him to sign the Sex Offenders Register for the same decade-long period.
This case serves as a stark warning from Merseyside Police that the internet is not a lawless space. Detective Sergeant James Coleman emphasised the force's commitment to protecting children, stating: "There is no hiding place for people who seek to harm children online. We will continue to pursue and bring to justice those who engage in this abhorrent behaviour."
