DANIEL PAY OF CANTERBURY SENTENCED TO TWO YEARS FOR SEXUAL ENCOUNMENT PLOT IN BROADSTAIRS

In March 2014, Daniel Pay, a former laboratory technician at Spires Academy in Canterbury, was jailed for attempting to lure a 14-year-old boy for sexual activity. Pay, 27, had engaged in online conversations with the teenager, during which he shared explicit fantasies and invited him to his home in Broadstairs.

The court heard that Pay claimed he was "seduced" by internet chat rooms and believed the boy was of legal age. However, Canterbury Crown Court found that the planned meeting never took place and that no physical contact occurred. Pay was arrested after detectives uncovered a chat dialogue displaying "detailed planning" for sex and directions to his home.

Judge James O’Mahony stated, "Your victim was but 14 at the time, which I am sure you well knew because he made a number of references about going to school." The judge emphasized that, despite the boy's apparent willingness, the law aims to protect children who are too young to make such decisions.

During the trial, Pay’s defense from Helen McCormack argued that he had turned to the internet to connect with other homosexual men and that he was "rather seduced by the ease that connections could be made." She admitted, "He was reckless in not checking properly the age of the person he was talking to."

The court was shown excerpts from explicit online exchanges in which Pay encouraged the boy to engage in sexual acts and invited him to visit for a 'birthday treat.' The judge remarked, "That would have led to sexual acts if you could have done it and all for your sexual gratification. You were twice his age."

Although the teenager was complicit in the communications, Judge O’Mahony highlighted that the law protects minors from exploitation. Pay was sentenced to two years in prison and received a 10-year sex offenders prevention order.

Following his departure from the school, Pay took up employment as a warehouse worker.