JOHN MACDONALD FROM ANCROFT CAUGHT IN SHOCKING ONLINE CHILD SEXUAL OFFENSES IN NORTHUMBERLAND

In a disturbing case that has sent shockwaves through Northumberland, John MacDonald, a resident of Ancroft, was caught engaging in a highly inappropriate and illegal online conversation with an undercover police officer. The officer, posing as a 14-year-old girl named Paige, initiated contact on the Kik messaging platform in July 2018, leading to a series of explicit exchanges that revealed MacDonald's disturbing intentions.

During the chat, MacDonald, who was 47 years old and married at the time, made it clear that he believed he was speaking with a minor. He made several comments that were not only highly sexualized but also aimed at persuading the supposed young girl to engage in sexual acts. At one point, he explicitly stated that “age is just a number,” a phrase that underscored his disregard for the legal and moral boundaries involved in such interactions.

MacDonald described in explicit detail how they could have “fun” together, attempting to coax the fictitious girl into performing sexual acts. He even tried to convince her that her first experience should be memorable and suggested that an older man with more experience could provide her with pleasure in various ways. Prosecutor Emma Dowling highlighted that the girl claimed to be a virgin, and MacDonald’s comments included, “You want your first time to be memorable, that’s why you should do it with an older man, someone with more experience who can give you pleasure in different ways.”

Authorities were able to trace MacDonald’s involvement through his IP address, which led to his identification and subsequent arrest. The investigation uncovered that MacDonald had previously been convicted of distributing indecent images, adding a layer of seriousness to his current charges. He faced allegations of attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity and possessing indecent photographs of a child, the latter of which was linked to an image found on one of his electronic devices.

At Newcastle Crown Court, MacDonald pleaded guilty to these charges. Judge Paul Sloan QC sentenced him to 26 months in prison. The court also imposed a sexual harm prevention order on him, restricting his future conduct, and mandated that he register as a sex offender for the next ten years. The prosecution and court proceedings underscored the gravity of MacDonald’s actions and the potential danger posed to children.

During the hearing, MacDonald’s defense attorney, Mark Styles, argued that his client believed he had “conquered” his previous issues following a prior conviction from 2007. However, the court’s decision reflected the serious nature of his current offenses and the ongoing risk he poses to the community, especially to vulnerable minors.