Mark Stevenson, a Barnstaple paedophile, preyed on teenagers in chatrooms and exchanged sexual thoughts and images with another individual of like depravity, a court was informed. Mark Stevenson, 37, engaged in discussions with individuals he believed to be females aged 12 and 13, enquiring if they were interested in sexual relations with him.
He was unaware that the individuals he was conversing with online were undercover police agents attempting to apprehend paedophiles. Despite his incarceration, he persisted in his criminal behaviour, enquiring of one decoy about her virginity and transmitting films of himself engaging in masturbation.
Mark Stevenson, residing on Pilton Causeway in Barnstaple, was characterised in court as an isolated individual who lived a reclusive existence. He claimed that he was not driven by a sexual interest in children, however acknowledged many violations, including the distribution of indecent images of minors and attempts to engage in sexual communication with them.
The judge said: “The offences represent a series of offences that demonstrate you have a clear sexual interest in young children and those in their early teens. It is quite clear you were seeking out various contacts with those in their early teens and were quickly made aware the children concerned, in each case decoys or similar, made their age known to you but you did not desist.”
Mark Stevenson was jailed for 21 months.
Prosecutor Ms Victoria Bastock said Mark Stevenson was arrested after a visit by police to his home address in November 2020. They seized a number of devices and found messages dating back to November 2017.
They showed Mark Stevenson in enthusiastic communication with another paedophile sharing fantasies about rape and sex with children. He also shared indecent images of children aged between five and 16.
Mark Stevenson also joined a teen chatroom and started talking to what he believed was a 13-year-old girl. He followed this up with messages to other decoys on Kik Messenger, Skype and WhatsApp. In each case the conversation was sexual and Stevenson would make lewd suggestions and ask if they wanted boyfriends. He also asked for photos.
Mark Stevenson was released under investigation but committed almost identical offences in July 2021. He joined the UK Teen Friends chatroom and direct messaged a 12-year-old decoy, sending her an indecent video of himself and saying he wanted to see the child naked.
Mr Jason Beal, defending, said Mark Stevenson endured a difficult lockdown, family bereavement and was a good candidate for rehabilitation.
Judge Peter Johnson said Mark Stevenson had minimised his crimes by suggesting he was sharing in the fantasies of others.
The defendant admitted distributing indecent photos of children; making indecent photos of children; four offences of attempting to engage in sexual communication with children and two of attempting to cause a child to watch a sexual act.
Mark Stevenson must sign the sex offender register for 10 years and was made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for the same period.
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