A Little Thetford Paedophile sex offender, Michael Clarey, was apprehended by law enforcement after attempting to meet and exploit a six-year-old girl.
On 6 February, Michael Clarey, 59, utilised the internet with the explicit intention of locating a kid to exploit, employing a pseudonym to conceal his identity.
He confessed to being a paedophile who had previously molested children and initiated communication with an individual who provided him with a photograph of a six-year-old girl, randomly sourced from a blog post.
Michael Clarey thought he was communicating with the girl’s parent, however law enforcement suspects it was an internet activist organisation.
He enquired whether he might sexually exploit the girl, stating he would first take her for a meal and shopping in Cambridge or Norwich.
Nevertheless, the dialogue concluded at this point, and it remained undiscovered until law enforcement officials conducted an unannounced visit to Michael Clarey on 25 February.
Michael Clarey was subject to limitations set by a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) issued by a court in 2021; nevertheless, officers found that he had violated this order by concealing devices, including one positioned behind a television. This gadget carried the incriminating messages.
Michael Clarey, residing on New Close Road in Little Thetford, near Ely, was sentenced to five years and three months in prison at Peterborough Crown Court on Friday, 27 June, after pleading guilty to attempting to arrange or enable the commission of a child sex offence.
He is have to serve an additional five-year extended term upon release, supervised by the Probation Service. Any violations may lead to his re-incarceration.
Michael Clarey also admitted five counts of making indecent photographs/pseudo photographs of a child, possessing a prohibited image of a child and 14 breaches of a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO), for which he received no separate penalty.
DC Andrew McKeane said: “Michael Clarey was never going to meet the girl whose photo was sent to him online but the intent to commit despicable sexual offences was clear.
“The girl in the photos, which were taken some years ago, had no link to anyone involved and is a victim in this case. We have spoken to her parents in Berkshire and they were understandably shocked and upset.
“Michael Clarey has a complete disregard for the law and is a danger to children. He was aware what his SHPO restricted him from doing, but he chose to ignore it.”
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