MAURICE CLAYTON, FORMER PARAMEDIC FROM ROCHESTER, JAILED FOR SEX OFFENCES INVOLVING CHILDREN

In June 2021, Maurice Clayton, a 60-year-old former paramedic, was sentenced to prison after attempting to meet a child for sexual activity in a Rochester supermarket car park. Clayton intended to sexually abuse a girl he believed was 10 years old and planned to meet her mother.

Clayton was arrested the previous year after traveling 30 miles to Rochester, where he believed he would meet the woman on the premise of engaging in sexual acts with her young daughter. Clayton initially connected with the woman via a pornographic website in September of the prior year, mistakenly believing her to be the mother of a 10-year-old girl. In reality, he was communicating with Kent Police.

Despite this false understanding, Clayton continued conversations on a separate social media platform, repeatedly discussing his intentions to commit serious sexual offences against the child, including sharing indecent images. Unbeknownst to him, police officers had set up an undercover operation and were present at the location in Rochester where Clayton arrived. They discovered indecent items in his motorcycle bag.

Maurice Clayton, who is now married and resides on Oakland Lane in Biggin Hill, was sentenced to two years in prison after admitting to five sex-related charges, including arranging to meet a child for sex.

During the court hearing, Maidstone Crown Court heard from Prosecutor Bridget Todd that police had orchestrated a sting operation on a porn website. An officer played the role of a single woman named Jodie, residing in Chatham, with a fictitious 10-year-old daughter called Millie.

The website, often used legitimately, also attracts paedophiles. Clayton, using the username 'Mole999,' had been active on the site for approximately 841 days, claiming to live in southeast London and Kent. He asked disturbing sexual questions about Jodie and Millie, revealing that he was married but hiding his sexual interests from his wife. Clayton also sent two photographs of himself as a paramedic on a motorcycle.

In addition, Clayton boasted about conversations with other underage girls aged 13, though he admitted to being repeatedly stood up. Defense lawyer Genevieve Reed stated that Clayton had studied for a paramedic degree after leaving school and had served in the ambulance service for 36 years.

Judge Charles Gratwicke expressed strong condemnation, stating, 'Nobody sitting in this court and hearing the circumstances of these offences and your conversations could feel anything but revulsion and anger.' The judge emphasized that children are entitled to a childhood free from harm and that individuals like Clayton must be protected from exploiting them.

As a result, Clayton was placed on the Sex Offender Register for 10 years.