DAVID GUITE FROM MARCH SENTENCED FOR PREDATORY ONLINE BEHAVIOR IN GLOUCESTERSHIRE AND EASTWOOD AVENUE

In October 2021, a disturbing case involving a paedophile from March has come to light, revealing a pattern of predatory behavior facilitated through popular social media platforms TikTok and WhatsApp. The individual, identified as David Guite, aged 29, was ultimately convicted and sentenced to prison after a series of alarming interactions with minors and adult members of online paedo hunting groups.

Guite first attracted police attention in October 2019 when authorities discovered he had been communicating with a 13-year-old girl in Gloucestershire via TikTok and WhatsApp. The girl was reluctant to cooperate with law enforcement, refusing to allow police to access the content on her phone and declining to provide a formal statement. Despite her reluctance, police arrested Guite at his residence in March and brought him in for questioning.

During the interview, Guite claimed that he had ceased all contact with the girl once he became aware of her age. He also asserted that his phone had been hacked during the period of their conversations, attempting to explain away the suspicious activity. Following his arrest, he was released on bail while investigators continued their forensic examination of his devices.

While the investigation was ongoing, Guite’s online activity took a more disturbing turn. He initiated sexualized conversations with what he believed to be a 15-year-old girl on the platforms Skout and WhatsApp. Unbeknownst to him, the account he was communicating with belonged to an adult member of an online paedo hunting group, who was monitoring his interactions. This group member later provided crucial information to the police, leading to further investigations.

Subsequently, authorities executed a warrant at Guite’s new address on Eastwood Avenue, March. During the search, officers seized a mobile phone that revealed additional incriminating evidence. The device contained a sexualized WhatsApp conversation with a 12-year-old girl, along with three other sexualized exchanges involving profiles that appeared to belong to children.

Guite was charged with multiple serious offenses, including four counts of engaging in sexual communication with a child, attempting to incite a girl aged 13 to 15 to engage in sexual activity, and attempting to incite a girl under 13 to do the same. His actions demonstrated a clear pattern of predatory behavior aimed at minors, raising significant concerns about his intentions and the safety of vulnerable children.

On September 29, at Peterborough Crown Court, Guite was sentenced to 30 months in prison. In addition to his incarceration, he was subjected to an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order, which imposes strict restrictions on his future conduct. Furthermore, he was placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life, ensuring ongoing monitoring and safeguarding measures to protect the community from any potential risk he might pose in the future.