In 2019, the Offender Database recorded that David Southby, 55, avoided an immediate prison sentence after sending explicit messages to what he believed was a pre-teen girl. Appearing at Truro Crown Court on 21 November 2019, the defendant—of Parc-An-Creet, St Ives, Cornwall—admitted to three charges including attempting to facilitate a child sex offence. It was reported that Southby, who worked in Camborne, was targeted by an undercover police officer posing as a child between July and September 2019.
The investigation established that Southby sent requests for pictures of the girl in her underwear and instructed her to perform sexual acts. Devon and Cornwall Police reported that the defendant sent a video of himself masturbating and arranged to meet the supposed child at the Travelodge in Saltash, Cornwall. The prosecution reported that Southby told the girl to claim she was his daughter to avoid suspicion at the hotel, demonstrating a significant degree of planning and grooming.
Judicial Findings and Investigative Detail
The court reported that Southby’s offending was extremely serious and would have resulted in at least five years in prison had the victim been a real child. Truro Crown Court heard that after an initial meeting was cancelled due to bad weather, Southby was arrested on 24 September 2019 before a second meeting could take place. The investigation established that during police interviews, Southby initially denied intending to meet the girl and claimed he did not know she was under 16, despite the explicit nature of the communication.
Judge Robert Linford stated that the only reason Southby was not facing a long custodial term was that the person on the other end of the line was a police officer. For his actions in St Ives and Saltash, Southby was handed a two-year community order. The judge noted that this was his one and only opportunity to cooperate with the authorities, warning that any breach would lead to immediate imprisonment.
Status and Statutory Requirements
For the crimes reported in England, the status of David Southby as of late 2019 was as follows:
- Sentence: 2-year community order.
- Treatment: Mandatory 31 sessions of a sex offender programme.
- SHPO Status: 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
- Sex Offenders Register: Notification requirements active for 5 years.
- Judicial Oversight: Sentenced at Truro Crown Court following a Devon and Cornwall Police investigation.
- Origin: Parc-An-Creet, St Ives, Cornwall.
Monitoring and Public Protection
Southby is managed under Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) within the Cornwall area. Due to the nature of his conduct in St Ives, which involved grooming and attempting to facilitate a meeting at a Saltash hotel, his management is a priority for the Public Protection Unit. Authorities state that his 10-year SHPO allows officers to monitor his internet usage and conduct unannounced checks on his electronic devices to ensure he is not targeting further victims.
As a registered sex offender, Southby’s details are logged on the national police database. Authorities state that his history of seeking out pre-teen girls in Cornwall requires vigilance during his registration period. Any attempt to contact minors, bypass digital monitoring, or fail to attend his treatment sessions will result in immediate arrest to ensure the ongoing safety of the community and to uphold the protection of children from online predators.
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