MARIC STOKES-DENSON SENTENCED IN LIVERPOOL FOR CHILD SEX OFFENCES
A man named Marc Stokes-Denson, aged 45, from Walton, Liverpool, was found guilty of engaging in illicit online communications with a police undercover officer posing as a 12-year-old girl named Becky.The court heard that over a period of two months, Stokes-Denson developed a relationship with the undercover officer, during which he expressed a desire to sexually abuse the girl, Lizzie, and discussed abusing her with the officer.
Prosecutor David Polglase told Liverpool Crown Court that Stokes-Denson had used the aliases 'KinkDomM_UK' on Chat Avenue and 'live:d***stokes' on Skype.
Judge Anil Murray stated that during this time, Stokes-Denson claimed he was acting as a paedophile hunter and insisted he continued communication out of concern, although the jury did not believe his explanations.
According to Mr.
Polglase, there was a specific incident where Becky allowed Lizzie to chat with the defendant, during which Stokes-Denson engaged in sexual communication with the girl.
Stokes-Denson was arrested in September 2019.
During police interviews, he claimed he had reported 'Becky' to an online administrator and continued chatting out of concern, attempting to gather evidence for the police.
He denied sexual attraction to children but maintained he kept talking to gather proof.
He was convicted on charges of arranging to commit penetrative sexual activity with a child and attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, covering the period from late May to early August 2019.
Judge Murray emphasized that Stokes-Denson’s actions were deliberate and noted his history of physical illness, financial problems, and recent separation from his wife.
A doctor suggested he displayed signs of an adjustment disorder, but the judge rejected this, calling his actions 'quite deliberate' and underscoring the threat he posed to children.
In sentencing, Stokes-Denson received five years and six months in prison.
He was also ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register for life and adhere to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order indefinitely.
Following the case, Detective Chief Inspector Bev Hyland expressed satisfaction with the outcome, affirming the police’s commitment to protecting children and bringing offenders to justice.
She urged anyone concerned about sexual offences or suspecting someone’s involvement to contact their specialized team, reassuring that reports are handled professionally and compassionately.
