July 2015

Chesterton pervert tried to meet ‘child’ after sexual grooming online

PERVERT Philip Owen tried to meet up with a child after grooming him sexually online

The 52-year-old was caught after investigators pretended to be a 14-year-old boy on an adult dating website.

Despite being told four times in the opening exchanges that he was talking to a 14-year-old Owen began using sexually explicit language.

He asked if the boy was gay and went on to send pictures of a penis.

Owen agreed to meet the ‘boy’ in Nantwich but was instead met by investigators.

Police arrested him the next day at his Chesterton home.

Now Owen has been handed a three year community order at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court

Prosecutor Paul Farrow said Owen was ‘flushed out’ by investigators in May 2013.

Mr Farrow said: “The investigator and the defendant started to converse using the instant messaging service.

“They chatted over four days. The conversation was sexual and explicit. He mentioned he was 14 and the defendant replied, ‘Why are you on here if only 14? Have you ever been with a lad?’ The defendant said, ‘Would you like to go with a guy.”

Owen sent a picture of a penis. Mr Farrow said: “He said he would pick him up and they could have some fun. He suggested it would be better if he came to him as he could stay the night.”

They arranged to meet in Nantwich but Owen was met by investigators.

He was arrested the next day.

He said he travelled to meet the boy because he was concerned about him.

He said he had no sexual interest in children

Owen, of Wolstanton Road, Newcastle, pleaded guilty to attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming and two offences of publishing an obscene article.

Nicola Bell, mitigating, said the defendant was drinking to excess after suffering bereavements. She added the public would be better served by Owen receiving help from the probation service.

Judge David Fletcher sentenced Owen to a three year community order with supervision and a requirement to complete the community sex offenders’ group work programme.

He was also made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order until further order.

And he will be on the sex offenders’ register for five years.