SHOCKING CRIME: CRAIG TEW OF SHOTTON CAUGHT IN CHILD GROOMING PLOT IN FLINTSHIRE AND ROCHDALE

In October 2018, a disturbing case unfolded involving Craig Tew, a 42-year-old lorry driver and former soldier from Flintshire, who was ultimately sentenced to prison after being caught in a child grooming sting. Tew, residing at Dodds Court in Shotton, became the focus of a covert operation conducted by a group known as 'paedophile hunters,' who set up a fake social media profile to lure potential offenders.

Over a period of 24 days, Tew engaged in increasingly explicit and suggestive exchanges with a profile named ‘Amelie,’ which was created by the online child protection enforcement team Dark Light. During these interactions, he falsely claimed to be a 28-year-old soldier and expressed intentions to buy gifts for the girl, including a Pandora necklace and a mobile phone. He also discussed plans to take her on outings such as a trip to the cinema or skiing, all under the guise of a friendly meeting.

Unbeknownst to Tew, the profile he was communicating with was not a real child but a trap set by the authorities. The group had designed the profile to resemble that of a 13-year-old girl, and Tew believed he was corresponding with a minor. The situation escalated to a planned meeting at Springfield Park in Rochdale on October 28 of the previous year. Prosecutor James Coutts explained that Tew had assured the girl he would treat her like a princess and that she wouldn’t need to pay for anything, further indicating his grooming intentions.

When Tew arrived at the park, he was confronted by the paedophile hunters, who immediately called the police. During the arrest, officers discovered a strip of Viagra-like tablets and a box of condoms in his vehicle, raising further concerns about his intentions. In police interviews, Tew claimed that he had only befriended the girl out of a sense of kindness, believing she was lonely, and insisted he was not interested in young girls. He also claimed ignorance about the presence of the tablets in his car.

Despite these claims, Tew later pleaded guilty to nine separate charges, including attempting to engage in sexual communications with a child, attempting to arrange child sex offences, and grooming with the intent to meet a girl under 16. The court heard that he had sent multiple sexual messages over 24 days and had expressed concern about getting caught, yet he still proceeded to meet the girl in Rochdale.

Judge Petts sentenced Tew to two years and three months in prison. Additionally, he was ordered to register as a sex offender for the next ten years and was subject to a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) for the same period. The court also noted that Tew had a prior conviction from 2006 for possession of an imitation firearm in a public place, which added to the seriousness of his current offences.

Earlier in September 2018, Tew had admitted to nine counts of grooming children, including engaging in sexual communication with a minor, inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, and attempting to meet a girl under 16 following grooming. He appeared at Mold Crown Court to face these charges, which stemmed from incidents alleged to have occurred in October 2017. Tew denied possessing indecent images of children, but the court allowed those charges to lie on file. The case was adjourned for a pre-sentence report, with Tew released on bail under conditions that required him to keep appointments with probation officers.