DAMIEN ALLEN BISHOP AUCKLAND SEX OFFENDER CAUGHT IN UNDERCOVER POLICE OPERATION

In a case that underscores the ongoing efforts to combat online sexual offenses against minors, Damien Allen, a 39-year-old resident of Pasture Row in Eldon, Bishop Auckland, has been sentenced to prison after a series of serious breaches of court orders and attempts to engage in illegal sexual communications with a minor.

Allen’s criminal history includes previous convictions for sexual offenses involving children, which had already led to court-imposed restrictions and monitoring. However, in January, he was caught in an undercover police operation that revealed his continued involvement in illicit activities. Officers from Durham Police, working in cooperation with their counterparts from the Metropolitan Police, initiated an investigation after receiving credible information that Allen had been sending sexual messages to an undercover officer posing as a minor.

The court heard that on January 15, Allen sent a friend request via Snapchat to what he believed was a 13-year-old girl. Over the next ten days, he engaged in a series of explicit exchanges, including sending nude photographs of himself and making sexual comments. Prosecutor Charlie Thompson detailed that Allen openly referred to himself as a “perv” and asked the decoy to send images of her “favourite” features, also expressing that he missed her and inquiring if she was “looking sexy.”

When police officers executed a search at Allen’s residence, they discovered two electronic devices that had not been registered in accordance with a sexual harm prevention order issued in 2016. This order, which was set to last for ten years, was originally imposed after Allen received a sentence of three years and ten months for twelve separate sex offenses committed online involving children. The officers also uncovered a significant number of social media accounts and email addresses that Allen had failed to disclose, breaching the notification requirements of the sex offenders register.

Judge Geoffrey Marson KC emphasized the gravity of Allen’s violations, stating that court orders of this nature are designed to protect the public and prevent reoffending. The judge noted that Allen genuinely believed he was messaging a minor and that there was no realistic prospect of rehabilitation in his case. As a result, Allen was sentenced to an additional 18 months in prison for breaching the orders and attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child.

Furthermore, the court issued a new sexual harm prevention order lasting ten years and mandated that Allen register as a sex offender for life. The case highlights the persistent dangers posed by individuals with a history of online sexual offenses and the importance of vigilant law enforcement efforts to safeguard vulnerable minors from exploitation.