CHARLES WIGHAM FROM BLAYDON CAUGHT TRYING TO GROOM TEENAGE GIRLS ONLINE BY PAEDOPHILE HUNTERS IN NEWCASTLE

In a disturbing incident that unfolded in March 2018, Charles David Wigham, a resident of Blaydon, was caught attempting to groom what he believed to be underage girls through online chats. The confrontation was orchestrated by two vigilant paedophile hunting groups, Dark Justice and Guardians of the North, who had set up decoy profiles to lure potential offenders.

Wigham, aged 30 at the time, engaged in conversations with these decoys, believing he was communicating with teenage girls aged 13 and 14. During these exchanges, he sent graphic images and provided links to explicit adult websites. His messages included questions like, “do you watch porn?” and terms of endearment such as calling the decoys “baby,” which indicated his inappropriate intentions.

Unbeknownst to him, the groups had recorded the entire interaction and had arrived at his residence in Blaydon to confront him directly. The footage captured the moment Wigham was confronted at his home, where he was visibly shocked to discover that he was speaking to vigilante groups rather than actual minors. The groups revealed that Wigham was already a convicted sex offender, a fact he admitted during the confrontation.

Wigham confessed to having served approximately 20 months in prison after being convicted of engaging in sexual activities with a 14-year-old girl he had groomed via Facebook. He also disclosed that he was required to sign the sex offenders register for life, highlighting the severity of his previous conviction.

Following his arrest, Wigham was taken into custody by police. His case was brought before Newcastle Crown Court, where he pleaded guilty to multiple charges. These included attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity, attempting to engage a child in sexual communication, attempting to cause a child to watch a sexual act, and breaching a sexual offences prevention order.

In sentencing, the court handed Wigham a seven-year extended prison term, reflecting the gravity of his actions and his breach of legal restrictions. This case underscores the ongoing efforts of community groups and law enforcement to combat online grooming and protect vulnerable minors from exploitation.