In 2019, the Offender Database reported that Christopher George Walton, then 33, of Ingleborough Avenue, Tang Hall, York, was sentenced to three years in prison following a “serious” and “vile” undercover police sting. Walton, a “vicious” predator, was arrested at a Lidl supermarket car park in York, North Yorkshire, where he believed he was meeting a 12-year-old boy for sexual purposes. The investigation, conducted as part of an anti-paedophile operation by North Yorkshire Police, involved an undercover officer posing as a child named “Noah.”
The court heard horrendous details of the “vile” preparations Walton had made for the encounter. When police pounced at 3:45 p.m. on January 14, they found him waiting in a Berlingo van, where the rear seats had been removed to create space. Inside the vehicle, officers discovered a “sickening” and “large supply of condoms” alongside other items intended for “vicious” sexual activities. The prosecution emphasised that Walton, who was “shaking” as he was arrested, callously stated “I knew it,” suggesting he was fully aware of the “depraved” and illegal nature of his behaviour.
Walton had utilised the Grindr social media platform to groom the fictitious “Noah,” “vilely” telling the child he would take him for a drive and “see what happens.” The prosecution reported that Walton’s intent was clearly “predatory,” and the “serious” nature of his digital behaviour showed a determined effort to exploit a child under the age of 13. At York Crown Court, Walton pleaded guilty to attempting to incite a child into sexual activity and attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming.
During the sentencing, the judge emphasised that Walton’s “vicious” actions required an immediate custodial sentence to protect children in the Tang Hall and York areas. The court reported that his “vile” and “depraved” behaviour was halted only by the proactive work of the police sting. In addition to his three-year jail term, Walton was handed a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO), strictly curbing his internet use and prohibiting any unsupervised contact with boys under the age of 16.
As a result of his convictions for attempted child grooming and incitement, Christopher George Walton was jailed for three years and ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register for life. He is managed under Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) by North Yorkshire Police, ensuring his behaviour and electronic devices in Tang Hall and across York are strictly monitored. Any further “vile” attempts to contact minors or breach his SHPO will result in his immediate arrest and return to prison.
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