A convicted Wallsend paedophile, Mark Stephens, who journeyed over 150 miles to engage in sexual activities with a youngster will now serve his sentence in prison following a specialised collaborative effort.
Mark Stephens journeyed from his residence in Blackpool to Wallsend, North Tyneside, to see a 10-year-old girl and her mother, whom he believed he had been conversing with online.
Mark Stephens transmitted numerous texts articulating his nefarious intents towards the child and moreover proposed £400 for the opportunity to spend the night with them and document their interaction.
Officers from Northumbria Police’s Paedophile Online Investigation Team (POLIT) initiated an investigation and collaborated with Lancashire Police and the North East Regional Organised Crime Unit (NE ROCU) to apprehend Mark Stephens.
On April 12 last year, the 67-year-old, Mark Stephens, travelled to Silverlink retail park – but was met by police and arrested.
A search of his vehicle recovered quantities of Viagra and a gift for a child.
During the investigation, it also came to light that another force was looking into Mark Stephens after unknowingly sending explicit messages to an officer as part of another investigation the day before travelling to North Shields.
Mark Stephens was subsequently charged with arranging the commission of a child sex offence, attempting to meet a girl under 16 to engage in sexual activity, and three counts of making indecent images.
Mark Stephens, of Shannon Street, Blackpool, appeared at North Tyneside Magistrates’ Court the following day and pleaded guilty to all charges.
Additional charges were later brought and Mark Stephens was later convicted of attempting sexual communication with a child and attempted breach of a sexual harm prevention order.
On March 30, he was jailed for eight years at Newcastle Crown Court and given an additional six years on extended licence; the court also made a deprivation order for the car that he used to travel to Newcastle.
Speaking after the sentencing, Detective Constable Rob Smoult from POLIT said: “This is a great result which reinforces our commitment to protecting children from predators like Mark Stephens.
“Mark Stephens made his vile intentions very clear and the overwhelming evidence collated by the team ensured a swift charge and left him with no other option but to plead guilty at court.
“Mark Stephens set out on a long journey across the country to meet a girl he knew was underage and thanks to a thorough operation by ourselves and our partners, we have placed a dangerous offender before the courts, and prevented him from harming any children.
“We will continue to work with our partners to tackle online child abuse and sexual exploitation and would urge anyone who has been a victim of this type of offending or has concerns about someone’s behaviour to come forward and talk to us.”
If you have any information or concerns that a child is at risk, you can report online using the ‘Tell Us Something’ page on our website or by calling 101. Always call 999 in an emergency.
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