Blackpool paedophile who travelled more than 150 miles to meet young child for sex jailed

Mark Stephens travelled to Wallsend from his home in Blackpool to meet a 10-year-old girl and her mother, who he believed he had been chatting to online.

The 67-year-old did not know he had actually been speaking to a police officer as part of a wider investigation.

Stephens sent countless messages stating his intentions with the child and also offered £400 to spend the night with them and record their time together.

Officers from Northumbria Police’s Paedophile Online Investigation Team (POLIT) launched an investigation and worked with Lancashire Police worked and the North East Regional Organised Crime Unit (NEROCU) to target Stephens and bring him into custody.

The 67-year-old was met by police and arrested after travelling to Silverlink Shopping Park on April 12, 2022.

A search of his vehicle recovered quantities of Viagra and a gift for a child.

It also came to light that Stephens was being looked into by another force during the course of the investigation.

The day before he travelled to North Shields, he had once again unknowingly sent explicit messages to an officer working on another investigation.

He was subsequently charged with arranging the commission of a child sex offence, attempting to meet a girl under 16 with the intention of engaging in sexual activity, and three counts of making indecent images.

Stephens, of Shannon Street, Blackpool, appeared at North Tyneside Magistrates’ Court and pleaded guilty to all charges the following day.

Additional charges were later brought and Stephens was later convicted of attempting sexual communication with a child and attempted breach of a sexual harm prevention order.

He was jailed for eight years on Friday (March 30).

Stephens was also given an additional six years on extended licence, and a deprivation order was also made by the court for the car that he used to travel to Newcastle.

Speaking after the sentencing, DC Rob Smoult, from POLIT, said: “This is a great result which reinforces our commitment to protecting children from predators like Stephens.

“He made his vile intentions very clear and the overwhelming evidence collated by the team ensured a swift charge and left him with no other option but to plead guilty at court.

“Stephens set out on a long journey across the country to meet a girl he knew was underage and thanks to a thorough operation by ourselves and our partners, we have placed a dangerous offender before the courts, and prevented him from harming any children.

“We will continue to work with our partners to tackle online child abuse and sexual exploitation and would urge anyone who has been a victim of this type of offending, or has concerns about someone’s behaviour, to come forward and talk to us.”

If you have any information or concerns that a child is at risk, call 101 or report it online at doitonline.lancashire.police.uk/.

Always call 999 in an emergency.