Northampton paedophile jailed after sending sexually inappropriate messages to numerous girls online

A Northampton paedophile who sent sexually inappropriate messages to numerous girls online was jailed for 30 months yesterday (Thursday, May 13).

Northampton Crown Court heard David Brown sent the explicit texts to children aged under 16 for around seven months in 2018, including asking for naked pictures.

The 64-year-old, of Northwood Road, also had seven indecent images of children on his phone, which police discovered after arresting him in August of that year.

Sentencing him, His Honour Judge David Herbert QC said: "These were persistent, determined and repeated attempts to incite underage young girls to send you images of their naked genitalia.

"You say that you are not interested in young girls but I do not accept that as that is why you committed these offences and that's why you were in possession of the indecent images and why you repeated your offending."

Brown pleaded guilty to five counts of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, five counts of attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity and two counts of making indecent photographs of a child at the same court in March.

After being arrested, analysis of Brown's phone found several conversations on a social media platform with girls who said they were under 16.

In all of them, the defendant had asked for photos of them naked as well as asking them inappropriate questions about their sexual history.

Brown's messages included various sexual suggestions and questions such as: "Are you up for naughty fun?"

One child, who said she was 10, called Brown a pervert and said she was scared and would call the emergency services but he persisted in asking for nude pictures, saying he was 16.

Police were unable to speak to any of the users so their ages could not be confirmed but their profiles and messages suggested to Brown that they were under 16, the judge said.

The indecent photos, described as a 'relatively small' number by the prosecution, of young girls were also found on his mobile phone.

In his defence, the court heard that Brown's offending was linked to a lack of fulfilment sexually in his relationship due to his physical health.

As well as the custodial sentence, Brown was also given a 10-year sexual harm prevention order which restricts his access to the internet.