NIGEL FAIREST FROM WORKSOP JAILED FOR ONLINE GROOMING AND SEXUAL OFFENSES

In June 2017, a disturbing case unfolded in Worksop involving a pensioner named Nigel Fairest, who was ultimately sentenced to prison after being caught in a sting operation conducted by vigilant online watchdog groups. The incident took place outside his residence on Church Street, Langold, where Fairest believed he was engaging in illicit conversations with underage girls.

Fairest, a construction worker by profession, had been communicating via a social networking platform, under the false assumption that he was speaking to teenagers. He had explicitly offered to take a 13-year-old girl to his caravan for sexual activity, a clear indication of his intentions. However, the entire interaction was secretly recorded by the vigilante groups Internet Interceptors and Silent Justice, who traveled from elsewhere to confront him directly outside his home in Worksop.

The confrontation was captured on video, revealing Fairest’s attempt to justify his actions. On camera, he claimed he was “only chatting” with the girls and insisted he was “just having a bit of fun.” He further admitted to sending sexually explicit messages to the minors, stating he did so to see “what happened” and to gauge “what their reaction would be.”

As the video footage continued, police officers arrived at the scene, leading to Fairest’s immediate arrest. He was subsequently remanded in custody and later appeared before Nottingham Crown Court. On the day of sentencing, Fairest received a prison term of three years and four months, along with a lifelong sexual harm prevention order. Additionally, he was placed on the sex offenders’ register indefinitely after pleading guilty to multiple charges, including attempting to meet a female under 16 following grooming, attempting to incite a girl aged 13-15 to engage in sexual activity, and making an indecent photograph of a child.

A spokesperson for Internet Interceptors expressed their dismay at the severity of the sentence, stating, “We don’t feel the sentence is representative of Fairest’s horrific actions. If we hadn’t brought him to the attention of police, who knows what he would have done.” The group emphasized their role in raising awareness about the dangers of online grooming, highlighting that such predatory behavior is a real and present threat within communities like Worksop.