JOHN MILLINGTON CAUGHT IN SHELTON TRYING TO MEET 13-YEAR-OLD GIRL FOR SEX

John Millington, a 58-year-old man from Shelton, was apprehended by vigilant paedophile hunters after he attempted to meet what he believed was a 13-year-old girl for sexual activity. The incident unfolded when Millington engaged in explicit online conversations, referring to the girl as 'babe' and his 'secret girlfriend,' and expressing his desire to meet her in person. He arranged to meet her at Stoke Railway Station, with plans to carry out sexual acts in his vehicle.

When Millington arrived at the station, he was confronted by male decoys who had been monitoring his online activity. The decoys detained him until law enforcement officers arrived on the scene. During the subsequent search, authorities discovered that Millington possessed sexual paraphernalia, including items such as thongs, which are often associated with sexual activity. His mobile phone was also examined and was found to contain a small number of indecent images of children. Among these were one image classified as category B, which indicates a certain level of explicitness, and a moving image depicting a girl aged between 13 and 15 years old.

The court was informed that Millington had previously sent a friend request to the decoy, with messages that suggested he intended to engage in sexual activity once she turned 16. He also discussed plans to meet for sex, despite being told that the girl was only 13. Throughout the conversations, he continued to refer to her as 'babe' and his 'secret girlfriend,' and he explicitly planned to meet her at Stoke Railway Station for sexual purposes.

Following his arrest, Millington was charged with multiple offences. He later pleaded guilty to attempting to communicate sexually with a child, possessing indecent images of children, and arranging a child sex offence. The court sentenced him to three years in prison. Additionally, he was subjected to an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order, which restricts his activities and contact with minors, and he was placed on the sex offenders' register for life, ensuring ongoing monitoring and restrictions to protect the public from future harm.