DAVID LANSDOWNE/PICK FROM ASHINGTON AND HARTLEPOOL JAILED FOR ONLINE PREDATION IN NEWCASTLE

In a stark reminder of the dangers lurking online, David John Lansdowne, also known as Pick, aged 59, was sentenced to prison after being caught engaging in a disturbing online conversation with what he believed was a young girl. The incident took place in Newcastle, where Lansdowne appeared before Newcastle Crown Court to face charges related to sexual communication with a minor.

According to court reports, Lansdowne had initiated contact with an online profile he thought belonged to a young girl. Over the course of their interaction, he sent sexually explicit messages and images, clearly indicating his intentions. Unbeknownst to him, the profile was a decoy operated by the well-known paedophile hunting team ‘Geordie Chasers,’ who had set up the sting to catch predators attempting to exploit minors.

It was revealed that Lansdowne had previously been caught by the same team, but despite this, he returned online five months later and resumed contact. To evade detection, he had moved from his original residence in Ashington to Hartlepool and changed his surname from Lansdowne to Pick. His new address was identified as Chad House, Hartlepool.

During the investigation, Lansdowne initially denied any involvement with the profile of the girl. However, when the paedophile hunters sent messages from the decoy account, his mobile phone immediately pinged, revealing his active engagement. A member of the ‘Geordie Chasers’ team, known only as Geordie, recounted the incident, saying, “It was quite funny, he had the app open on his phone and was getting messages from us even while he was saying it wasn’t him. We were very clear about the girl’s age but that did not deter him. He made his intentions very clear from the start of the conversation.”

In a recorded video of the sting, a team member confronts Lansdowne, stating, “You are here to meet a 13-year-old girl, my son.” Lansdowne responds defensively, “No, I am not. I have just been to the shop.” The team member then firmly retorts, “Yes, you are, my son.”

Further evidence was gathered when Lansdowne’s phone, which was kept in his top pocket, was shown to contain the ongoing conversation. When asked to show the screen, he was caught trying to deny the activity, despite the messages being visible. Another team member pointed out, “You still have the conversation open on your phone and you are trying to deny it.”

It was also established that Lansdowne had traveled approximately 30 miles from his home in Hartlepool, Cleveland, to meet what he believed was a 13-year-old girl in the car park of Matalan in Killingworth, Newcastle. The intent to meet a minor for sexual purposes was clear.

In court, Lansdowne pleaded guilty to the charges. The judge sentenced him to 18 months in prison, but this was reduced to 13 months due to his guilty plea. Additionally, he was placed on the sex offenders register for a period of ten years and was subject to a ten-year sexual harm prevention order (SHPO).

This case underscores the ongoing efforts of law enforcement and online safety teams to combat online predation and protect vulnerable minors from exploitation.