DAVID NIXON FROM BALLYNAHINCH CAUGHT IN BALLYMENA PAEDOPHILE STING

In a disturbing series of events that have shocked the local communities, David Nixon, a resident of Ballynahinch, County Down, has been linked to multiple child sex offences, including attempts to meet what he believed was an 11-year-old girl. The incidents span over several years, with Nixon's actions coming to light through vigilant paedophile hunting groups and subsequent police investigations.

In August 2020, Nixon, who was then 50 years old and living at Loughside Drive in Ballynahinch, pleaded guilty in Belfast Crown Court to serious charges involving child sexual offences. These included attempting to incite a minor to engage in sexual acts, requesting explicit images from the child, and engaging in sexual communication with a minor. The court heard that Nixon's latest offences occurred in September 2019, while he was already on police bail for attempting to arrange a meeting with an individual he believed to be an 11-year-old girl.

Prior to these events, Nixon had been living in Dungannon at the time of the December 2017 offences. During that period, he drove over an hour to Ballymena bus station with the intent of meeting a schoolgirl he believed was 11 years old. However, his plans were thwarted when he was ambushed by a paedophile hunting group. The confrontation was live-streamed on social media, revealing details of Nixon’s online conversations with the decoy, who was in fact an adult posing as a young girl. The recordings exposed Nixon’s explicit intentions, including his desire to engage in multiple sex acts.

During the sting, Nixon attempted to justify his actions by claiming, “These are just fetishes. Okay, I have fetishes.” When questioned about his conduct, he admitted to sending naked images of himself to the decoy girl, who repeatedly insisted she was only 11 years old. Nixon also pleaded with her to stay online, expressing desperation with statements like, “You promised me you wouldn’t go offline. I want to talk with you without you disappearing again. Do you like me? You are beautiful. Is it okay for me to say that to you?”

Adding to the disturbing nature of his behaviour, Nixon claimed to be falling in love with the decoy and falsely stated that he was 30 years old, despite his actual age of 50. Throughout the encounter, he displayed a smirk and laughed at times, which he later attributed to “nerves.”

In January of this year, Nixon was sentenced to four months in prison after pleading guilty to charges of attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming and attempting sexual communication with a minor. He was also ordered to register as a sex offender for seven years, with restrictions placed on his contact with children and his internet usage for a period of five years.

Despite these penalties, Nixon’s criminal behaviour persisted while he was out on police bail. He continued to send messages of an explicit sexual nature to what he believed was a child, demanding photographs and engaging in further inappropriate communication. Unbeknownst to him, the police had provided the paedophile hunting group with a dossier revealing that the supposed child was actually an adult decoy, and the entire operation was a sting designed to catch him in the act.

As a result, Nixon now faces the possibility of additional prison time when he appears again at Belfast Crown Court next month. His repeated offences highlight a troubling pattern of predatory behaviour that authorities are determined to address.

In a related incident from December 2019, Nixon was caught at Ballymena’s bus and railway station by a paedophile hunting group. The group had set up the sting in the run-up to Christmas, with Nixon traveling from Ballynahinch to Ballymena believing he was meeting an 11-year-old girl. Nixon, then 49 years old, appeared at Ballymena’s Magistrates Court via video link and pleaded guilty to charges of attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming and attempted sexual communication with a minor.

The court was informed that Nixon had been communicating with a decoy on an over-18 dating site, which then continued on WhatsApp. Over approximately three weeks, Nixon exchanged explicit messages, including three images of his private parts, with the decoy, who was pretending to be an 11-year-old girl. His journey to Ballymena was motivated by these online interactions.

Defense counsel described Nixon as unemployed and leading a relatively isolated lifestyle, with no children of his own. However, District Judge Nigel Broderick emphasized that the fact Nixon traveled to Ballymena with the intent to meet a minor was an aggravating factor in the case. Nixon was sentenced to four months in prison, placed on the Sex Offenders Register for seven years, and subjected to a five-year Sexual Offences Prevention Order that restricted his contact with children and his internet access.

These incidents underscore the ongoing efforts of law enforcement and community groups to combat online predatory behaviour and protect vulnerable minors from exploitation. Nixon’s case remains a stark reminder of the dangers lurking in digital spaces and the importance of vigilance in safeguarding children from harm.