SIMON CLAYDEN FROM RUDSTON SENTENCED FOR ONLINE PREDATOR OFFENSES IN YORKSHIRE

An undercover police operation led to the arrest of 55-year-old Simon Clayden from Rudston after he sent what were described as "repulsive" and "quite revolting" messages to what he believed was a 13-year-old girl. The police confirmed that these communications, which would have been "highly corrupting" if targeted at a real child, were exchanged with an undercover officer as part of efforts to prevent online predators from exploiting children.

Clayden pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, attempting to incite a child to participate in sexual activity, and creating indecent images of children. The court was told that on December 30, 2022, he sent sexual messages to what he thought was a 13-year-old girl, unaware that he was actually communicating with an undercover officer.

Despite being informed of her true age, Clayden responded with "Cool" and asked her about her clothing, even requesting to see her naked and continuing to send sexualized messages, including explicit questions. He explicitly told her, "I won't tell," and expressed that he liked the fact she was only 13. All these messages were exchanged within a single day, after which Clayden seemingly ceased communication voluntarily.

The court noted that Clayden’s online details were linked to his real identity. In February 2023, police searched his home and uncovered five indecent images of children (Category B) and an additional 22 images (Category C) involving minors aged between 4 and 16 engaged in sexual acts.

During police interviews, Clayden denied any sexual interest in children and claimed he had no knowledge of the images stored on his phone. His lawyer pointed out that Clayden had no previous convictions, had pleaded guilty, and showed some signs of minimization but ultimately accepted responsibility for his actions.

The judge described Clayden’s conduct as "terrible" and "repulsive," emphasizing that if the messages had been sent to an actual child, they would have been "highly corrupting." He was sentenced to a 16-month suspended prison term, which includes participation in a sex offenders' treatment program and 15 days of rehabilitation.

Furthermore, Clayden was issued a 10-year sexual harm prevention order and required to register as a sex offender for a decade. The judge highlighted that Clayden’s decision to plead guilty demonstrated an acknowledgment of his actions, and that he did not pose an ongoing risk to the public. The case underscores the dangers posed by online predators and the crucial role of monitoring and intervention in safeguarding children.