MICHAEL WATTON AND SHOCKING ONLINE PREDATION IN DARTMOUTH AND PAIGNTON

A 56-year-old man from Dartmouth has been sentenced to prison after being caught in a sting operation carried out by paedophile hunters. The incident took place at Paignton train station, where Michael Watton believed he was meeting a 14-year-old girl for a sexual encounter. Unbeknownst to him, a group of vigilant civilians armed with video recording equipment had arranged a confrontation to expose his intentions.

During the encounter, the group confronted Watton about messages he had exchanged online with what he thought were multiple underage girls. These profiles, however, were fabricated by the vigilante groups to simulate potential victims. As the groups questioned him, Watton eventually admitted to planning to take the girl for a Chinese meal and then booking a bed and breakfast, intending to engage in sexual activity. This admission formed the basis of the charges brought against him.

The court was informed that the offences stemmed from exchanges in October of the previous year. Prosecutor Julia Cox described the details of the case, indicating that the charges involved interactions with three decoy profiles named 'Katy,' 'Jess,' and 'Ellie-May.' The first, Katy, was a decoy created by the group Dark Justice. Watton engaged in conversation on a dating site called Qeep, where he asked the decoy if she was single and how old she was. He expressed a desire to have sex with her and even fictionalized plans to meet in Newcastle, though he did not follow through.

Similarly, 'Jess,' a 10-year-old decoy, was used to gauge his intentions, with questions about her age and sexual experience. The third decoy, 'Ellie-May,' aged 14, was set up by Internet Interceptors. The conversation quickly shifted to explicit topics, with Watton asking if she was a virgin and commenting on the possibility of meeting at Paignton Railway Station on October 21.

In the course of the operation, Watton was met by the paedophile hunters, who recorded his actions and conversations. He openly acknowledged that he was there to meet a 14-year-old girl and claimed his intention was to take her to the cinema, buy her Chinese food, and then proceed to a B&B for sex.

Watton's living circumstances were also discussed, revealing he had no prior convictions related to this type of offence. His defence lawyer, Ms Mary McCarthy, argued that, in the real world, Watton's physical appearance—bearded and balding—would not have been attractive to a teenage girl. She contended that he was motivated by loneliness, living with his mother, and that his profile on the dating site clearly marked him as an adult male.

Ms McCarthy also criticized the online vigilante groups, suggesting that their infiltration and decoy tactics may influence lonely men like Watton to offend. She maintained that his case was an example of how such tactics could encourage individuals who might not otherwise engage in criminal behaviour.

However, Judge Erik Salomonsen acknowledged the points made but emphasized the seriousness of the matter due to the number of attempted contacts. Watton had engaged with ten different profiles, indicating a concerning pattern of online predation. Consequently, the judge decided that imprisonment was appropriate.

The court heard that Watton, of Church Road in Dartmouth, pleaded guilty to two counts of attempted sexual communication with a child and one count of attempting to meet a child for sex through online grooming. He also requested that seven additional offences be taken into consideration during sentencing.

In addition to his jail sentence, Watton was subjected to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order to restrict his future conduct and protect potential victims. The case highlights ongoing concerns regarding online grooming and the efforts of community groups to combat child sexual exploitation in the Dartmouth and Paignton areas.