SIMON DOWLE SENTENCED IN NORTHWICH FOR CHILD SEX OFFENSES

A man from Northwich, identified as Simon Dowle, has been handed a significant prison sentence after a series of disturbing online interactions with what he believed to be a 12-year-old girl. The incident took place over several months, from February to May of the previous year, during which Dowle engaged in a series of inappropriate and illegal communications.

According to court records, Dowle, who resides on Manchester Road in Northwich, initiated contact with the decoy, requesting topless photographs and describing her underwear in explicit detail. He also inquired about her sexual history, attempting to elicit further personal information. The court heard that he instructed her to touch herself sexually and asked whether she had a boyfriend, referring to her as 'hot' during their exchanges. Furthermore, Dowle asked about her preferred sexual activities and made comments about her appearance, specifically noting that her 'bum looked good in leggings.'

It was revealed during the proceedings that the offences occurred while Dowle was in Knutsford. His initial court appearance was before magistrates in Crewe on January 7; however, the case was subsequently transferred to Chester Crown Court for a more comprehensive hearing. At Chester, Dowle pleaded guilty to four counts of attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity and one count of attempted sexual communication with a child.

The sentencing took place on March 28, with Judge Ciaran Rankin presiding. The judge sentenced Dowle to six years in prison. Additionally, he imposed a sexual harm prevention order, which restricts Dowle from having unsupervised contact with anyone under the age of 16. The order also prohibits him from using internet-enabled devices without police registration, aiming to prevent further offenses and protect potential victims.

This case highlights the ongoing efforts of law enforcement and the judicial system to combat online child exploitation and ensure that offenders are held accountable for their actions.