In 2018, the Offender Database recorded that 41-year-old Craig Warr—of Flag Lane North, Upton, Chester—was jailed for 12 months for attempting to sexually exploit children online. Warr, who was employed in the animal supplies team at Chester Zoo, appeared at Chester Crown Court on Friday, 2 November. It was reported that the investigation established Warr had created online relationships with what he believed to be four girls under the age of 13 between June and October of that year.
The investigation established that Warr used the social media platform Kik to contact his targets, employing multiple false profile names such as Jay Write, Boredjay, and Moonstar. Chester Crown Court heard that he groomed the girls by “making them feel special” to gain their trust and coerce them into sexual activity. The prosecution reported that the individuals Warr believed he was grooming were actually undercover police officers from various Regional Organised Crime Units who were monitoring his predatory behaviour.
Judicial Findings and Investigative Detail
The court reported that Warr’s actions were a calculated attempt to sexually communicate with children and cause them to watch sexual acts. The investigation established that he was arrested on 4 October following a police raid on his Upton home. The prosecution reported that Warr pleaded guilty to four counts of attempted sexual communication and four counts of attempting to cause a child to watch a sexual act, admitting to his predatory intent after being caught in the undercover sting.
Judge-led proceedings concluded with Warr being handed a 12-month custodial sentence. For his actions in Chester and across the digital space, he was ordered to sign the sex offenders register for 10 years and was handed a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO). The judge noted that his employment at a major public attraction like Chester Zoo, combined with his persistent use of aliases to target young girls, necessitated a prison term and long-term statutory monitoring.
Status and Statutory Requirements
For the records reported in Cheshire, the status of Craig Warr as of April 7, 2026, was as follows:
- Custodial Status: RELEASED (Served 12-month term; sentenced Nov 2018; released on licence circa 2019).
- Sex Offenders Register: Notification requirements are active until 2028.
- SHPO Status: Subject to a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (Active until 2028).
- DBS Status: Placed on the Barring List (Indefinite ban on working with children).
- Legal Status: CONVICTED (Attempted sexual communication with a child; Attempting to cause a child to watch a sexual act).
- Judicial Oversight: Sentenced at Chester Crown Court; investigated by Regional Organised Crime Units.
- Criminal Record: Targeted four “girls” under 13 via Kik; Used five different aliases; Groomed targets to gain trust for sexual coercion.
- Origin: Flag Lane North, Upton, Chester.
Monitoring and Public Protection
Warr is managed as a registered sex offender within the Chester area following his release from prison. Due to the nature of his conduct—specifically his use of “sophisticated aliases” and his “persistent digital grooming” of multiple targets—his management is a priority for the Cheshire Police Public Protection Unit. Authorities state that his history of attempting to facilitate sexual acts with infants via encrypted platforms identifies him as a high-risk digital predator.
As a registered sex offender, the defendant’s details are permanently logged on the national police database. Authorities state that his 10-year SHPO includes strict conditions regarding his internet usage and a total prohibition on the use of Kik or similar messaging platforms. Any change of residence in Upton, any failure to report a new digital alias, or any unauthorised proximity to children will result in immediate arrest to ensure the ongoing safety of the public from his demonstrated pattern of predatory online behavior.
QUESTION – Given that the offender used a “feel special” grooming technique on children while working at a family-oriented venue like Chester Zoo, do you believe that “Employer Notification” should be mandatory for all individuals under investigation for online grooming?
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