PAUL NEWBY FROM GILDERSOME CAUGHT IN LEEDS PAEDOPHILE STING INVOLVING ONLINE GROOMING AND SEXUAL EXPLOITATION

In a disturbing case that has shocked the local community, Paul Newby, a 39-year-old officer working for Leeds City Council, was exposed as a predator involved in online grooming and sexual exploitation of minors. The incident unfolded in Leeds, with Newby’s actions coming to light after he was targeted by a vigilant paedophile hunter who used Facebook to lure him into revealing his malicious intentions.

Newby, who was employed as a council tax and benefits officer, was found to have used his official work email account to communicate with underage girls, attempting to groom them for sexual purposes. His criminal activities came to a head when he was tricked into believing he was in contact with a 13-year-old girl in care, leading to his exposure and subsequent arrest.

The court proceedings revealed that Newby had established a relationship with a 14-year-old girl via Facebook. During their online interactions, he persuaded her to send explicit photographs and a video of herself. He falsely claimed to be 25 years old and expressed intentions to marry her once she turned 16. Additionally, Newby offered to deposit money into her bank account to facilitate a meeting, further demonstrating his predatory behavior.

Prosecutor Andrew Haslam explained that Newby also engaged with a fake Facebook profile created by an individual seeking to expose paedophiles. Believing he was communicating with a 13-year-old girl from Nottingham in care, Newby sent the explicit video of the 14-year-old girl along with indecent images of himself. He also made arrangements to meet the girl, offering financial incentives to do so.

Newby’s arrest took place at his workplace on March 8 of this year. During police questioning, he claimed to have incriminating evidence on his phone and admitted to needing help, stating he would be honest with authorities. The following day, law enforcement recovered the contents of his Facebook conversations, revealing the extent of his online grooming activities. Authorities also found indecent movies and images stored on his mobile device.

In court, Newby pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including two counts of attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity, one count of attempting to cause a child to watch a sexual act, and attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming. He also admitted to causing a child to engage in sexual activity, inciting a child to do so, and causing a child to watch a sexual act. Furthermore, he was convicted of two counts of distributing indecent images of a child and three counts of making indecent images of a child.

Newby’s actions have been described by the judge as “sophisticated predatory behavior,” highlighting the calculated and manipulative nature of his crimes. He is now serving a prison sentence, with the court emphasizing the severity of his offenses and the danger posed to vulnerable minors. The case has raised serious concerns about online safety and the importance of vigilance in protecting children from exploitation, especially in communities like Gildersome and Leeds where such incidents can have far-reaching impacts.