A Romanian paedophile from Darlington, Marius Stan, was apprehended in an online sting operation for transmitting graphic sexual communications to a “13-year-old schoolgirl.”
Marius Stan, 44, believed he was conversing with a minor when he solicited photographs from her; however, he was actually communicating with a fictitious profile created by a paedophile hunting organisation.
The decoy explicitly informed Stan that she was 13 when he initiated communication with her at an internet forum in December 2022.
Marius Stan identified himself as “John” and, after posing benign enquiries regarding her preparedness for Christmas, provided the user with his number and requested to continue the dialogue on WhatsApp.
Marius Stan subsequently enquired whether the user wished to view his genitalia, what knowledge she had acquired in sex education, and whether she had engaged in sexual intercourse.
The individual proceeded to request photographs of “the girl” before enquiring about sexual practices involving herself and asking if she is “naughty in the shower.”
The impostor interrupted the dialogue and tracked Marius Stan’s IP address.
On December 27, 2022, group members visited Marius Stan’s residence in Darlington to confront him on the texts. He was not permitted to leave his sofa until the police arrived: Marius Stan, of Victoria Road in the town, subsequently pleaded guilty to attempted sexual contacts with a kid. He possesses no prior convictions.
On Tuesday, the Romanian national appeared before a judge at Teesside Crown Court to be sentenced. The court heard that when the police arrived at Marius Stan’s home, he told them: “I do a mistake.”
Marius Stan was handed a five-month prison term, suspended for 12-months and he was made subject to a five-year sexual harm prevention order. He must sign the sex offenders’ register for seven-years.
The judge told Marius Stan to take a copy of the sexual harm prevention order home with him – “because it tells you what you can and can’t do on the internet.”
Marius Stan told the court that he will appeal his sentence and Judge Laird told him that he has 28 days to do so.
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