DAVID SIMPSON FROM ACCRINGTON AND RISTHON CAUGHT IN SHOCKING PAEDOPHILE STING IN RAWTENSTALL

In a case that has sent shockwaves through the communities of Accrington, Rawtenstall, and Rishton, David Simpson, a 49-year-old teacher from Oak Street, Accrington, narrowly avoided imprisonment after being caught in a covert operation targeting online predators. The incident unfolded in December 2013, when Simpson was found guilty by a Burnley Crown Court jury of attempting to meet a girl under the age of 16 with the intent to commit a sexual offence, during a five-day trial that examined his actions between February 22 and 27 of that year.

Simpson, who had previously denied the allegations, had no prior criminal record. Despite his protests of innocence, the court sentenced him to 12 months in jail, but this sentence was suspended for two years. Additionally, he was placed under 12 months of supervision and ordered to complete 150 hours of unpaid community work. The judge also mandated that Simpson sign the Sexual Offenders Register for a decade and imposed a five-year Sexual Offences Prevention Order to restrict his activities.

Having qualified as a teacher in 2002, Simpson had worked at Hollins Technology College in Accrington until December 2011, citing work pressures as the reason for his departure. He returned to the profession in 2012, taking on roles as a supply teacher at various schools, including Norden High School and Sports College in Rishton, Alder Grange Community and Technology School in Rawtenstall, and Ribblesdale High School in Clitheroe.

During this period, Simpson engaged in online communications with what he believed was a 15-year-old girl. The messages, which the court described as employing an 'effective grooming technique,' included inappropriate language and references. Simpson called the girl 'my sexy little schoolgirl' and told her, 'We will have lots of sex when we are together. You won’t be a little girl anymore.' He also requested her to send pictures of herself in her school uniform and sent her a photograph of himself.

However, it was revealed during the trial that Simpson was not communicating with a minor at all. Instead, the individual he was in contact with was a woman in her 20s named Lisa Chard. Chard had acted as a decoy, working with a man named Stinson Hunter to set up a fictitious profile under the name Lisa Rogers on the adult dating site Plenty of Fish. Hunter’s aim was to trap individuals he labeled as 'paedophiles,' and Simpson was caught in a sting operation when he traveled to Birmingham on February 26, intending to meet the supposed 'schoolgirl' for sex in a hotel.

Prosecutor Sarah Johnston explained that Simpson was not confronted by a real underage girl but by Hunter, who had orchestrated the setup for this purpose. The encounter was secretly filmed by a journalist accompanying Hunter, and the footage was later uploaded to YouTube, bringing the incident to public attention.

In the days leading up to the planned meeting, Simpson, reportedly frightened of being caught, made a somewhat foolish move by calling the police. He inquired whether the woman he had been speaking with, Lisa Rxxxxx, was an undercover officer. Simpson claimed in court that he knew he was talking to an adult and that his call to the police was motivated by curiosity about the 'game' he believed was being played.

During his testimony, Simpson, a former consultant metallurgist, detailed his personal life, including his marriage in 2003 and separation in 2011. He admitted to using the Plenty of Fish platform for casual encounters, stating he had been on the site for about a year, engaging in numerous conversations, some of which led to sexual encounters. He explained that his profile indicated he was seeking 'an intimate encounter,' which was consistent with the interactions he had with Lisa.

Judge Andrew Woolman, presiding over the case, highlighted the aggravating aspects of Simpson’s actions, particularly noting that he was a teacher of children close in age to the girl he believed he was communicating with. The judge remarked that although there had been no complaints from any actual victims, Simpson’s intent to have sex with a girl of 15, similar in age to those he taught, was deeply troubling. The judge also acknowledged the character references presented in court, which painted Simpson as generally a good man, and noted the support from his estranged wife, who had written a letter pleading on his behalf.

Despite the serious nature of the case, Judge Woolman decided to suspend Simpson’s sentence, citing the fact that he had already spent three months in custody and that he might have learned a lesson from the ordeal. The judge emphasized that the case was now in the open, and this transparency might serve as a deterrent for future misconduct.