Back in 2019, Michael Watton, the Dartmouth Paedophile, a former steward at Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth, was incarcerated following his apprehension by paedophile hunters during a sting operation.
Michael Watton, then 56, believed he was rendezvousing with a 14-year-old girl for sexual purposes at Paignton rail station; instead, he was approached by a group of men armed with a video camera.
He was questioned over communications exchanged with many youngsters, who were actually fictitious profiles, and he confessed to planning a Chinese supper with the girl and reserving accommodations for sexual purposes at a bed and breakfast.
Michael Watton, residing in Dartmouth, confessed to three charges pertaining to his online conduct and was sentenced to 16 months’ imprisonment by the judge at Exeter Crown Court.
The defence attorney, Ms Mary McCarthy, said that no adolescent girl in reality would perceive the bearded and balding Michael Watton as sufficiently appealing to engage in sexual relations. She stated that the sanction ought to be a community order.
She also interrogated the function of online vigilante organisations that ‘incite’ isolated males such as Michael Watton to perpetrate offences. The defence attorney, Ms Mary McCarthy, said that no adolescent female in reality would perceive Michael Watton as sufficiently appealing to engage in sexual relations. She stated that the sanction ought to be a community order.
She also interrogated the function of online vigilante organisations that ‘incite’ isolated men such as Michael Watton to perpetrate atrocities.
Judge Erik Salomonsen stated that the quantity of fabricated children he communicated with warranted immediate incarceration.
The offences occurred in October of the previous year.
Prosecutor Julia Cox stated that the three allegations pertained to conversations the defendant had with ‘Katy,’ ‘Jess,’ and ‘Ellie-May.’
Katy was designated as a decoy by the organisation Dark Justice.
Michael Watton promptly initiated a dialogue on the dating platform Qeep, enquiring about her relationship status and age, stated the prosecution.
He informed the 14-year-old that he desired to engage in sexual intercourse with her and impregnate her. He subsequently mentioned the planned meeting with her in Newcastle but failed to appear.
Jess, aged 10, served as a decoy. Michael Watton enquired once more about the girl’s age and whether she had ever engaged in sexual activity.
Ellie-May, aged 14, was a decoy established by Internet Interceptors.
Ms Cox told the court that Michael Watton quickly moved the conversation on to sex, asking if she was a virgin and arranging to meet at Paignton Railway Station on October 21.
“He was met by individuals from paedophile hunter groups,” she said. “They spoke to him and recorded what was going on.”
Michael Watton accepted he was there to meet a 14-year-old. He said he planned to take her to the cinema, buy her a Chinese, then use a B&B for sex.
The court was told the defendant had no relevant previous convictions.
Ms McCarthy, mitigating, said: “He was on an adult dating site and out of loneliness wanting to meet adult women. The concern expressed by other judges is the concern of decoys appearing on this adult site as actively encouraging people who wouldn’t otherwise talk to young people down the lane of these offences.”
She said Michael Watton was a bearded 50-year-old man, and his profile picture made this clear.
“Without being rude to Mr Michael Watton in the real world, no young child would engage with him,” she said. “He didn’t pose as a young, attractive person.”
She said he found, to his astonishment, that there were apparently young girls out there wanting to engage with him.
“In the real world, matters wouldn’t have progressed as they did. He is a lonely man living with his mother.”
Judge Salomonsen said he appreciated the point made by Ms McCarthy, but the number of girls Michael Watton tried to speak to made the offences more serious.
“You embarked on these exchanges with not one but 10 in all. Given that fac,t it seems to me this sentence must be served in prison.”
The defendant pleaded guilty to two counts of attempted sexual communication with a child and one of attempting to meet a child for sex following online grooming.
He asked for seven further offences to be taken into consideration.
Michael Watton, of Church Road, Dartmouth, was also made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
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