COLIN WARING OF EASTHAM SENTENCED TO SEVEN YEARS FOR CHILD SEX OFFENCES AND ONLINE PREDATION

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Eastham, a man named Colin Waring has been sentenced to seven years in prison after being found guilty of heinous crimes involving child exploitation and online predatory behavior.

Waring, who resides on Thornleigh Avenue in Eastham, engaged in a series of depraved internet exchanges with an individual he believed to be a mother named Jennie. Unbeknownst to him, he was communicating with undercover police officers operating on the chat platform Kik Messenger between April 30 and May 5 of the previous year.

During these conversations, Waring made shocking and explicit requests, asking Jennie if she would allow him to sexually assault her two daughters, who he falsely claimed were aged 8 and 12. His disturbing intentions were further revealed when he shared graphic images, including a Category A video depicting a four-year-old girl being raped, which is classified as one of the most serious forms of child abuse material. Additionally, he sent a Category B photograph showing a young girl around four or five years old being sexually abused.

On May 4, 2020, Waring sent these indecent images to the person he believed was Jennie. The police, having monitored the conversation, arrested him and confronted him with the evidence. Waring admitted to distributing the child abuse images but denied encouraging the rape of the children, claiming that his statements were fictional and part of a role-play.

However, during the trial at Liverpool Crown Court, the prosecution, led by Frances Willmott, argued convincingly that Waring’s intentions were genuine and that he had intended to carry out the rapes. Waring took the stand and insisted that he knew he was speaking to an undercover officer, maintaining that his words were fictional. Despite his claims, the jury, after a five-day trial and over four and a half hours of deliberation, convicted him by a majority of 11-1.

Judge Murray, presiding over the case, addressed Waring directly in the courtroom. He highlighted that Waring believed Jennie was the mother of two young girls and had explicitly asked whether her children were sexually active. The judge pointed out that Waring had sent explicit images with the words “Ped dad” written on his penis, a clear indication of his paedophilic intentions.

In his sentencing remarks, Judge Murray emphasized that the jury was convinced of Waring’s intent to commit the crimes of child rape, even though no children were actually involved. He explained that if Waring had carried out the rapes, he would have faced an 11-year prison sentence. However, due to the fact that no children were harmed, the sentence was reduced to seven years, with an additional year on license, meaning Waring must serve at least half of his sentence before being eligible for parole.

Furthermore, Waring was ordered to register as a sex offender and to comply with a lifelong Sexual Harm Prevention Order. The judge underscored the seriousness of his offending, describing him as “an offender of particular concern,” and made it clear that his release would only be considered if he was deemed no longer a risk to the public.

This case has sent a stark warning about the dangers of online predation and the importance of vigilant law enforcement in protecting vulnerable children from exploitation and abuse.