LITTLE THETFORD PAEDOPHILE SENTENCED TO OVER FIVE YEARS IN PRISON
A Little Thetford paedophile sex offender, Michael Clarey, was detained by law enforcement after attempting to meet and exploit a six-year-old girl.On 6 February, Clarey, aged 59, used the internet under a false name with the explicit aim of finding a child to exploit.
He admitted to being a paedophile who had previously molested children and began communication with someone who provided him with a photograph of a six-year-old girl, sourced randomly from a blog post.
Clarey thought he was talking to the girl’s parent, but authorities suspect it was an internet activist organization.
He asked if he could sexually exploit the girl, suggesting he would take her to a meal and shopping trip in Cambridge or Norwich.
The conversation stopped before any meeting took place and remained undiscovered until law enforcement officers made an unannounced visit to Clarey on 25 February.
Despite having a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) from 2021 that restricted his actions, officers found he had violated this order by hiding devices, including one behind a television, which contained the incriminating messages.
Residing on New Close Road in Little Thetford near Ely, Clarey was sentenced on 27 June at Peterborough Crown Court to five years and three months in prison after pleading guilty to attempting to facilitate a child sex offence.
He will serve an additional five-year extended supervised term upon release, with any violations risking re-incarceration.
Clarey also admitted five counts of making indecent photographs of a child, possessing prohibited images, and 14 breaches of his SHPO, without additional penalties.
DC Andrew McKeane stated, “Michael Clarey was never going to meet the girl whose photo was sent to him online but the intent to commit despicable sexual offences was clear.
The girl in the photos, taken years ago, had no connection to anyone involved and is a victim in this case.
We have spoken with her parents in Berkshire, and they were understandably shocked and upset.
Clarey has shown a complete disregard for the law and poses a danger to children.
He knew what his SHPO restricted him from doing but chose to ignore these restrictions.”
