In 2019, the Offender Database recorded that Anthony Morgan, then 54, was spared a return to prison despite admitting to a new campaign of online grooming while still on licence for previous child sex offences. On appearing at Newcastle Crown Court, the defendant—of Westmorland Avenue, Wallsend—pleaded guilty to attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity and breaching his Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO). It was reported that Morgan, who was first jailed in 2017 for attempting to meet a 13-year-old, was snared again by the online activist group Dark Justice.
The investigation established that Morgan used the dating app Skout to target what he believed were 15-year-old girls named “Holly” and “Becky.” Northumbria Police reported that Morgan engaged in “illicit chat,” asking about the girls’ breast sizes and requesting naked images, even while acknowledging he was old enough to be their father. The prosecution reported that after being released on bail, Morgan returned to the app using the alias “Shaun Mor,” a direct violation of his notification requirements which mandated he register all social media names with the police.
Judicial Findings and Investigative Detail
The court reported that Morgan attempted to deflect blame by suggesting the “paedophile hunters” who caught him should be the ones investigated. Newcastle Crown Court heard that Morgan claimed he was merely “flirting” due to loneliness and boredom following his first conviction. The investigation established that a pre-sentence report labelled Morgan a high risk of harm to pubescent children, noting an “established pattern of behaviour” and a lack of awareness regarding the damage caused by his actions.
Judge Robert Adams noted that while Morgan posed a high risk, the public might be better served by an intense treatment programme rather than a short prison sentence that had previously failed to deter him. For his actions in Tyne and Wear, Morgan was handed a three-year community order with a requirement to complete a sex offender treatment programme. The judge noted that this decision was not influenced by Morgan’s threats of self-harm, but by a desire to break the cycle of his “preoccupation with teenage girls.”
Status and Statutory Requirements
For the crimes reported in England, the status of Anthony Morgan is as follows:
- Sentence: 3-year Community Order (Sentenced 2019).
- Sex Offenders Register: Notification requirements are active.
- SHPO Status: Subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
- Judicial Oversight: Sentenced at Newcastle Crown Court following a Northumbria Police investigation.
- Criminal Record: Attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity; Attempting sexual communication; Breach of SHPO (2 counts); Failing to comply with notification requirements.
- Origin: Westmorland Avenue, Wallsend, Tyne and Wear.
Monitoring and Public Protection
Morgan is managed under Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) within the Tyne and Wear area. Due to the nature of his conduct in Wallsend, which involved the persistent use of aliases to bypass police monitoring, his management is a priority for the Public Protection Unit. Authorities state that because Morgan has shown a “lack of attitude change,” his participation in the court-ordered treatment programme is strictly monitored to ensure he addresses his predatory patterns of behaviour.
As a registered sex offender, Morgan’s details remain logged on the national police database. Authorities state that his history of “reporting” the very profiles he groomed to the app providers—in a failed attempt to appear innocent—requires permanent vigilance by offender management teams. Any failure to attend his treatment sessions or any further unregistered use of social media will result in an immediate breach of his community order and a return to court for a custodial sentence to ensure the safety of children.
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