May 2021

Paedophile caught out when he wore same trainers for police interview seen in obscene picture

A paedophile was caught out when he wore the same trainers for a police interview that had been snapped in a picture taken of his penis.

Christopher Papworth thought he was chatting to a 14-year-old girl called ‘Susie Brown’ after he spotted an online profile, set up by a member of a group called UK Justice.

Newcastle Crown Court heard how the 48-year-old contacted the fake account within hours of it being set up in February, despite the fact it said ‘Susie’ was 14 years old and gave her date of birth as 2005.

He then started sending sexual messages to the ‘girl’.

Elizabeth Muir, prosecuting, explained: “This is a decoy offence. The defendant believed he was communicating online with a 14-year-old girl named Susie Brown. During the course of these discussions he told who he believed to be Susie that he lived in the Walker area of Newcastle. There were requests to meet her.”

Five days after setting up the profile, members of UK Justice travelled to Papworth’s home to confront him.

After discovering he was not at home the group handed their information and messages on to the police and Papworth was arrested.

“He was interviewed the following morning,” said Ms Muir. “He initially answered not comment. He then however, accepted that in the photos that clearly showed a man’s penis that the trainers in the photo were the same as he was wearing in the interview.”

Papworth, of Enslin Street, Walker, Newcastle, pleaded guilty to attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child and attempting to meet a child following grooming.

Judge Christopher Prince told Papworth that the offences he pleaded guilty to could have landed him in jail.

But he decided to sentence him to a three year community order, which would give him a chance to get help with his rehabilitation.

Papworth’s community order includes 20 sessions of rehabilitation and 40 sessions of sex offender group work.

He must be on the Sex Offenders’ Register for five years and will be subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.