February 2021

Man thought he was sending sexual messages to child on gay dating site – but was talking to police

A man who believed he was sending sexual chats to an underage boy was in fact speaking to a police officer.

Mark Clewlow thought he was having a sexually explicit conversation with a 14-year-old boy on a gay dating website.

But the 58-year-old was actually speaking to a fake profile set up by police officers between October 14 and 19, 2018.

Clewlow had asked for pictures to be sent to him and arranged a meet-up, despite the decoy repeatedly saying he was still in school.

Clewlow, of Winslade Avenue, Brambles Farm, Middlesbrough, appeared at Teesside Crown Court on Monday to be sentenced for attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming.

Judge Jonathan Carroll said Clewlow was snared by a fake profile set up by police.

“You had set up a profile on a website that is designed to give homosexual men the opportunity to meet each other”, he said.

“You made contact with the [police] profile with police immediately making clear he was not in fact 18 but a 14-year-old boy.

“That should have been enough to deter you from any further involvement.”

But Clewlow continued messaging the decoy and forwarded his address, phone number and email address before the conversation was transferred to WhatsApp.

“You asked for pictures to be sent and the officer repeatedly made it clear that [the profile] was a child and made reference to school”, Judge Carroll said.

“The conversation between you and the decoy remained overtly sexual.”

A meeting arrangement was set up, but when Clewlow arrived, he was intercepted by police.

Judge Carroll said that Clewlow had “struggled to be open and frank” with probation officers due to “questions” regarding his own sexuality.

He added that he does now accept what he has done.

Clewlow was handed an 18 month prison sentence, suspended for two years.

He must complete 40 rehabilitation activity days will be monitored for six months.

He will be put on the sex offender register for 10 years and has also been made subject of a sexual harm prevention order, also lasting 10 years.