An esteemed scholar, Dushmanta Kara Bowburn Paedophile, has been incarcerated for organising a meeting with an individual he thought was a 14-year-old boy to engage in a sexual encounter. This occurred just weeks after he began working at Durham University.
Dushmanta Kara, who abandoned his wife and child upon arriving in the UK to assume his position in Durham, initiated communication with a user named ‘TwinkFreeNow’ on the Grindr online platform for homosexual dating on April 25, the same day the profile was created.
The Durham Crown Court was informed that the profile, featuring an image of a young male with short, black hair, was a fabricated identity created by an undercover police officer.
According to the court proceedings, it was revealed that the individual who claimed to be 18 years old, which is the minimum age requirement for Grindr members, actually turned out to be 14 years old. This happened since the service does not need any age verification.
Paul Newcombe, the prosecutor, said to the court that the defendant’s profile showed that he was only four miles from the site where the undercover police officer was pretending to be the youngster.
Dushmanta Kara transmitted an image of his unclothed torso to the decoy and engaged in a conversation over desired sexual activities between them.
The male individual informed Dushmanta Kara that he was inexperienced in the matter but disclosed that he was available and alone at his residence that evening. Consequently, they made arrangements to convene.
Mr. Newcombe stated that they shared images and could monitor each other’s movements as they travelled to the designated meeting point in Gilesgate, Durham.
However, upon reaching the designated meeting location, authorities apprehended Dushmanta Kara.
The individual informed the police that he had been utilising the Grindr application since his arrival in the UK in February. He admitted to engaging in a conversation where they discussed activities such as “kissing, cuddling, and oral sex.”
However, Dushmanta Kara asserted that he thought the youngster to be 18 years old, despite acknowledging that the profile image uploaded by the decoy appeared to be younger.
At his initial crown court hearing on May 26, the defendant, a 31-year-old resident, Dushmanta Kara, of Steavenson Street, Bowburn, confessed to charges of organising or enabling the commission of a child sex offence and intending to meet a child after engaging in sexual grooming.
Today (Thursday, July 13), he attended court for his sentencing with the help of a Hindi interpreter.
During the mitigation, Mark Styles informed the court that after discussing the defendant’s condition, it became evident that the incident had a significant and profound effect on him.
Regarding the character references provided to the court by fellow academics, Mr Styles stated: “It is evident that he is held in high regard by his colleagues.”
“The effect on his wife and young child is significant due to their dependence on him.”
He has been deprived of his reputation and position at Durham University, as he was terminated in early June, resulting in his having minimal financial means.
Upon his arrival in the UK in February, he found himself in a state of extreme isolation, loneliness, and vulnerability, as he had no acquaintances or connections.
“His involvement in this criminal activity was extremely foolish and lacking experience.”
The plausibility of a 14-year-old engaging in sexual activity within a household may appear implausible, but the decoy enticed him.
“He is eager to repatriate and begin anew.”
“He has maintained consistent communication with his spouse.”
Judge James Adkin informed the defendant that he did not perceive any issue when he was told that the individual in question was 14 years old.
You were detained for planning to engage in sexual intercourse with the police decoy in Gilesgate.
Judge Adkin commented on the recent sentence guidelines for the charges admitted by Dushmanta Kara, which have a starting point of five years and a range from four to 10 years. The judge noted that there has been a shift towards stricter attitudes about this type of offence.
However, he argued that there should only be a minimal reduction considering that the youngster in question was not real, given the specific circumstances of this instance.
The mitigating factors mentioned were the defendant’s prior good reputation, his immediate confessions in court, and the esteem he holds in the academic world.
The judge sentenced him to 30 months in prison, stating that it would have been 40 months if he had not pleaded guilty.
He informed Dushmanta Kara that she would spend 15 months of the sentence before being deported.
In addition, the judge imposed a 15-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order on Kara and mandated her indefinite registration as a sex offender.
If you or anyone you know have been affected by the people highlighted in this article, then please report those individuals to the Police on 101 (999 if an emergency) or visit their online resources for further details of the options for reporting a crime. You can also make a report at Crimestoppers should you wish to be completely anonymous. There is help available on our support links page.