MICHAEL MONKS FROM ANFIELD SENTENCED FOR CHILD SEX OFFENCES IN LIVERPOOL

In June 2021, Michael Monks, a man with a troubling history of sexual offences, appeared in Liverpool Crown Court to face serious allegations related to his predatory behavior towards minors. Monks, a former children’s entertainer and DJ based in Anfield, has a long-standing record of criminal activity, including previous convictions for sexual offences, which have resulted in multiple jail sentences and court orders aimed at preventing further harm.

His latest misconduct involved engaging in online conversations with individuals he believed to be underage girls. Using the Kik Messenger app, Monks initiated contact with a decoy profile operated by undercover police officers. The officers, posing as a 13-year-old girl named Millie, were part of an operation to catch individuals attempting to exploit minors online. The conversation began on April 15 of that year, with Monks contacting the decoy under the aliases ‘AnfieldGuy’ and ‘MikeLeon’.

Immediately upon starting the chat, the decoy disclosed her age, stating she was 13. Despite this, Monks responded in a manner that indicated he was aware of her age but was still willing to continue the conversation. He asked her if she was in her bedroom and made comments that suggested an intent to pursue sexual activity. The prosecutor, Ken Grant, explained that Monks sent a photograph of himself and received a picture from the decoy, to which he responded with a compliment, saying, “You look cute,” and inquiring if she was “naughty.”

As the conversation progressed, Monks posed increasingly explicit and sexualized questions, including inquiries about whether she had ever been naughty with a boy or touched herself. He also sent two videos of himself performing sexual acts on himself, explicitly asking the decoy to lift her skirt and promising to show her more if she complied. These actions demonstrated a clear intent to engage in sexual communication with a minor, which is a criminal offense.

Monks was arrested on April 17 at a builder’s yard where he was working. During police interviews, he chose to give no comment. It was revealed that he has a history of sexual misconduct, with seven previous convictions. Notably, in May 2018, he was sentenced to two and a half years in prison for nine sexual offences, including attempting to meet a child following grooming and inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.

Paedophile hunters had previously caught Monks attempting to meet a girl for sex, which further underscores his pattern of predatory behavior. During that incident, he sent explicit images and videos to someone he believed was a 13-year-old girl named ‘Evie’. Monks had arranged to meet her in Derby, claiming he would just cuddle if she was uncomfortable with sex, but he failed to appear. The group involved in the sting tracked him down after discovering his online activity and confronted him at his home in Anfield, live streaming the encounter on Facebook before calling the police.

Further investigations revealed that Monks had downloaded and shared numerous indecent images of children, including five Category A files, which are classified as the most serious. One such image depicted a child aged between eight and ten performing oral sex on an adult man. Police found that Monks had also been involved in the possession and distribution of a significant number of other indecent images, totaling 14 Category B and 74 Category C files.

During police interviews, Monks admitted to casual work as a DJ and children’s entertainer, but initially denied any sexual interest in children. However, he later confessed to having a “school uniform fetish” and to sending explicit videos to other girls, although he denied meeting any of them in person. His previous criminal record includes a conviction for burglary and theft in 2014.

In court, Monks pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including attempting to meet a child following grooming, attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity, and possessing, distributing, and making indecent images of children. His defense argued that he was only beginning to confront his troubling interests and that he had a daughter of similar age to the victims, which made him feel remorseful. The judge, Judge Clement Goldstone, QC, acknowledged the seriousness of his offenses and the potential danger he posed to children.

Sentencing, the judge described Monks as a “high risk of harm to children” and sentenced him to two years and nine months in prison. Additionally, he was ordered to comply with a new Sexual Harm Prevention Order for 15 years and to sign the Sex Offenders Register for life. The judge emphasized that such crimes are not victimless and that the exploitation of children causes profound harm, citing the importance of preventative measures and the work of organizations like Keeping Kids Safe.