JOHN TOMLINSON CAUGHT IN OXTON: PENSIONER'S ONLINE SEXUAL OFFENSES REVEALED

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Oxton, John Tomlinson, a 73-year-old pensioner, was found guilty of engaging in illicit online activities involving minors. The incident came to light after an undercover police operation that targeted individuals attempting to contact minors through internet chat platforms.

In November 2019, authorities revealed that Tomlinson had been deceived by a police officer posing as a 13-year-old girl on a teen chat website. During the course of the investigation, Tomlinson made alarming admissions, including his explicit declaration, “I like 13-year-olds,” and his reference to his “grey undies” as he engaged in online conversations.

The police officer, acting undercover, pretended to be a teenage girl, and Tomlinson responded enthusiastically. Derek Jones, the prosecutor, explained that during a half-hour Skype chat, Tomlinson sent a video of himself completely naked and pleasuring himself. He also requested the fake girl to send a nude photograph of herself. The court was told that Tomlinson, who was then 72, falsely claimed to be 69 and asked the girl to contact him via Skype, mentioning his “grey undies.”

Further investigations revealed that just a few days later, in June of the same year, Tomlinson contacted the same chat room, believing he was speaking to a 12-year-old girl. Again, he made similar comments about his age and his attire, and he sent another explicit video of himself pleasuring himself. He also inquired about the girl’s underwear, demonstrating a disturbing pattern of behavior.

Following these incidents, police executed a search warrant at Tomlinson’s residence in Wallasey on July 12, 2019. During the search, they seized his laptop for examination. The investigation uncovered that Tomlinson had engaged in similar conversations with three or four other girls, although no charges were brought in relation to those chats. Additionally, the computer contained five indecent images of girls aged between three and eleven, all classified in the lowest category of seriousness. The court was informed that these images appeared to be screenshots from chat room sites, and there was no evidence suggesting he actively searched for such images.

Tomlinson, who had no prior criminal record, initially denied deriving sexual gratification from his actions. However, during a subsequent police interview in the summer of 2020, he admitted that he did find pleasure in these activities. His defense lawyer, John Weate, stated that Tomlinson, a resident of Bidston Road, Oxton, was “thoroughly ashamed” of his conduct and expressed remorse for his actions.

In court, Judge Rachel Smith sentenced Tomlinson to a three-year community order, which includes 30 days of rehabilitation activities. She also imposed a curfew requiring him to remain at his residence between 7 am and 7 pm, monitored by a tagging device. Furthermore, a five-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order was issued against him, and he was ordered to register as a sex offender for five years.

Judge Smith acknowledged Tomlinson’s age and the complex circumstances surrounding his bereavement, which she said she took into account when passing sentence. The case has raised serious concerns about online safety and the exploitation of minors, prompting ongoing discussions about safeguarding measures in the digital age.