EX-SELLAFIELD WORKER'S INTEREST IN CHILDREN EXPOSED BY STING
AN undercover police "sting" operation exposed a former Sellafield worker’s “deep-seated” sexual interest in the abuse of young children, said a judge.Michael Southward’s interest extended to him going online and encouraging a woman to sexually interfere with her 11-year-old niece – though the person was actually a police officer who was part of a sting operation.
That contact led to police discovering a raft of evidence which exposed the 57-year-old’s deviant sexual interest in children.
Southward, of Yewbarrow Close, Whitehaven, was sentenced at Carlisle Crown Court after he admitted several offences.
The most serious was attempting to aid and abet the sexual assault of a child aged under 13.
He also admitted possessing 35 indecent child images, including ten classified as Category A, the most serious; possessing prohibited images of a child, which were cartoons; two counts of attempting to sexually communicate with a child, offences linked to the police sting operation.
Southward committed the offences in 2022.
It began after the defendant visited a website and posted a message, saying that he wanted to communicate with “girls of any age.” When the undercover officer contacted him, Southward believed it was a woman who had access to her niece, described clearly as an “eleven-year-old” girl.
Southward encouraged the woman to sexually touch the child.
“It was clear that this was something you intended to happen,” Judge Nicholas Barker told the defendant, pointing out that Southward's communication quickly became sexual.
The defendant used language which was “graphic” as he discussed sexual matters.
The sting operation happened over four days.
The child abuse images that Southward downloaded included a four-year-old.
It also became clear that Southward was trying to communicate sexually with children online, including one as young as eleven.
Defence barrister Marion Weir offered mitigation for Southward.
She said there had been no new offending in the four years since the defendant was arrested and the pre-sentence report had concluded that there were no concerns about Southward pursuing his interest in children.
A man of previous good character, the defendant had come to court “embarrassed” and expressing his remorse and regret, said Miss Weir.
A relationship breakdown left Southward feeling lonely and isolated.
“Alcohol became his crutch,” said Miss Weir.
She said that alcohol left the defendant "disinhibited", allowing him to view material which in the cold light of day should not exist.
“He has now turned away from alcohol,” continued Miss Weir.
The background also included the sudden death of his mother followed by the death of his brother, then aged 56.
Referring to the attempted sexual communication offences, Judge Barker said it showed Southward had a “deep-seated and deviant interest in the sexual abuse of very young children.” But, ruling that there was a “sufficient prospect of rehabilitation,” Judge Barker imposed a three-year community order.
This “extraordinary course” was justified, said the judge, because there had been no further offending, the defendant’s previous good character, and an offender manager’s view that Southward presents no “active risk.” The sentence includes 250 hours of unpaid work and 20 rehabilitation activity days.
Southward’s name will go on the Sex Offender Register for five years and he will be subject to a sexual harm prevention order for the same period.
