Pedophile Jailed after an over 150 mile trip to meet up with young child for sex

The convicted pedophile from Blackpool will now be spending his days behind bars after the trip to meet a under age child for sex

Mark Stephens travelled from his home in Blackpool to Wallsend to meet up with, what he believed to be, a 10-year-old girl and her mother who he had been talking to online.

The 67-year-old was woefully unaware that he had actually been speaking to a Police officer as part of a wider investigation.

Stephens sent numerous messages describing what he wanted to do with the child and even offered £400 in a bid to spend the night with them and be allowed to record their time together during the meeting.

Northumbria Police's Paedophile Online Investigation Team (POLIT) launched an investigation and worked closely with Lancashire Police and the Northeast Regional Organised Crime Unit (NEROCU) to target Stephens and allow officers to bring him into custody.

When Stephens arrived at Silverlink Shopping Centre on the 12April last 2022, the location he believed was the meeting place, Police were waiting, and he was subsequently arrested.

It has also been revealed that Stephens was being looked into by another force at the same time as this investigation. With the day before he travelled to North Shields, he had once again sent indecent images to what was in fact an undercover officer working on a separate investigation.

He was subsequently charged with arranging the commission of a child sex offence, attempting to meet a girl under the age of 16 with the intention of engaging in sexual activities and a further charge of three counts of making indecent images.

Appearing at North Tyneside Magistrates’ Court Stephens, of Shannon Street, Blackpool, pleaded guilty to all charges the following day.

Further charges were later brought against Stephens, he was further convicted of attempting sexual communication with a child and an attempted breach of a sexual harm prevention order, he was jailed for eight years on Friday, March 30th 2023.

An additional six years was handed down on an extended license, and the car he used to travel to Newcastle was subject of a deprivation order by the Court.

DC Rob Smoult from POLIT, said after sentencing: "“This is a great result which reinforces our commitment to protecting children from predators like Stephens.

“He 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.

“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, call 101 or report it online at doitonline.lancashire.police.uk/.

Always call 999 in an emergency.