JORDAN CAYGILL FROM NEWTON AYCLIFFE SENTENCED FOR CHILD SEX OFFENSES IN DURHAM

In March 2021, a disturbing case unfolded involving Jordan Caygill, a resident of Newton Aycliffe, who was ultimately sentenced to prison for serious offenses related to child sexual exploitation and possession of indecent images. The case was brought to light after police officers, acting on intelligence, managed to apprehend Caygill following an online sting operation.

It was revealed that Caygill, 28 years old at the time, had engaged in illicit online communications with an undercover police officer who was posing as a 14-year-old girl. During these interactions, Caygill used a social media application to contact what he believed was a minor, asking her to meet up for sexual activity. His messages were highly inappropriate and explicit, including offers to take her virginity and requests for sexual photographs.

Authorities responded swiftly once the suspect’s intentions became clear. Officers arrived at Caygill’s residence in Merlin Court, Newton Aycliffe, and made an arrest. During a subsequent search of his home, they discovered a disturbing collection of digital material. The police found hard drives and laptops containing over 18 hours of extreme pornography, which depicted very young children in distressing and violent sexual acts. The material was described in court as 'utterly repellent' and indicative of a long-standing collection.

Prosecutor Richard Bennett detailed the extent of Caygill’s possession of illegal content, emphasizing that the material involved children in visible distress and was collected over several years. The investigation also uncovered that Caygill had sent videos of himself masturbating, along with explicit photographs of his genitals, to the undercover officer. On the social media app, Caygill used aliases such as 'BigJ' and 'Darloj92'.

In court, Caygill pleaded guilty to a total of nine charges, which included three counts of making indecent images of children, one count of distributing such images, and additional charges related to possessing extreme pornography. He also admitted to attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity, trying to cause a child to watch a sexual act, and engaging in sexual communication with a minor.

HH Judge James Adkin addressed the court, highlighting the gravity of Caygill’s actions. He explained that the investigation was initiated after Caygill interacted with an undercover officer, believing he was communicating with a 14-year-old girl. The judge noted that Caygill had sent images and made explicit offers, which constituted an incitement to sexual activity. The judge described the images as 'utterly repellent' and pointed out the significant timespan of the offenses, spanning from March 2016 to December 2019. The collection was characterized as carefully curated, indicating premeditation and a pattern of highly sexualized behavior involving fictional children and teenage girls.

As a result of his convictions, Caygill was sentenced to 34 months in prison. Additionally, he was subjected to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, which restricts his activities and requires him to sign the sex offenders register for life. He is also permanently barred from working with children, reflecting the serious nature of his crimes and the potential risk to the community.