COREY DEANS CAUGHT IN SOUTH SHIELDS MEETING PLOT: CANCER SURVIVOR TRIES TO MEET 15-YEAR-OLD GIRL FOR SEX
In April 2016, a disturbing incident unfolded at South Hylton, where Corey Deans, a 22-year-old resident of South Shields, was caught attempting to meet what he believed was a 15-year-old girl named Katie for an illegal sexual encounter.The entire episode was set into motion through an online chat on the adult social networking site Badoo, where Deans believed he was communicating with a minor.
Unbeknownst to him, the profile he was engaging with was a fabricated account created by members of Guardians of the North, a group of online paedophile hunters dedicated to exposing individuals seeking to exploit minors.
The group had set up the fake profile to lure potential offenders and gather evidence against them.
When Deans arrived at South Hylton metro station, he was confronted by members of this vigilant group, who immediately contacted the police to make an arrest.
Deans, who has no prior criminal record, was taken into custody and later appeared before Newcastle Crown Court.
He admitted to attempting to meet a child for sexual purposes following grooming behavior.
The court heard that Deans had initiated contact with the fake profile shortly after it was created, engaging in flirtatious and increasingly sexual conversations.
Prosecutor Michael Bunch detailed that as their exchanges continued, the dialogue took on explicit sexual overtones, with Deans repeatedly asking about sexual acts and expressing a desire to meet for sexual contact, most likely sexual intercourse.
According to the evidence presented, an agreement was reached for the two to meet, with the clear intention of engaging in sexual activity.
However, shortly before the scheduled meeting, Deans appeared to have second thoughts.
He sent a message to the girl, stating, “if you don’t want to do anything, we don’t have to,” indicating a possible change of heart or hesitation.
Despite this, the police and the group’s members had already intervened, preventing any illegal activity from taking place.
The court also heard that after the meeting was leaked online, Deans and his family faced significant backlash, including abuse and death threats, highlighting the social repercussions of such online entrapment.
Judge Robert Adams sentenced Deans to six months in prison, suspended for two years, with requirements for rehabilitation and participation in a sex offender treatment program.
Additionally, Deans was ordered to register as a sex offender and adhere to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for seven years.
In his sentencing remarks, Judge Adams emphasized the seriousness of Deans’ intentions, stating, “It became very clear you intended to meet her in due course for sexual purposes.
That was in spite of being told she was only 15.
Your conversations had sexual overtures, with discussion about sexual activity.
In due course, an agreement was made to meet for the purpose of sexual contact.” The judge acknowledged Deans’ previously positive character references, which described him as a person who was generally well-regarded by friends and family.
However, he also noted the long-term health issues Deans faced, including a brain tumor diagnosed at age seven, which resulted in a two-year hospital stay and ongoing treatment until he was 18.
The court expressed uncertainty about whether these health issues contributed to his behavior but recognized the complexity of his case.
Finally, the judge mentioned that a phone call made by a woman linked to Guardians of the North on the day of the planned meeting might have been “pretty close to entrapment,” but clarified that there was no evidence to suggest Deans was encouraged or coerced during the sexual conversations.
The case underscores the ongoing efforts of online groups to combat child exploitation and the legal consequences faced by those who attempt to engage minors in sexual activities.
