'Dangerous predator' jailed after messaging decoy 14-year-old

A convicted sex offender has been jailed after sending explicit messages to a person who he thought was an underage girl. Daniel Stout began messaging what he thought was a 14-year-old girl on an online messaging app, sending her naked photos and asking for the same in return.

The girl he was messaging, however, was not a 14-year-old but a decoy from an online child abuse activist group. Having arranged to meet the "girl" in his home town of Buxton, Stout was arrested.

The 28-year-old, who has a previous conviction for a similar offence, was the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order at the time of the offence, which banned him from having contact with any girl under the age of 16. He was subsequently charged with attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child and breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

He admitted the offences and appeared at Derby Crown Court for sentencing on Tuesday, October 22, where he was jailed for two and half years. PC Jodie Norris, who led the investigation, said: “The fact that Stout committed this offence while under a Sexual Harm Prevention Order shows what a dangerous predator he is with no regard for the law.

“Thankfully, in this case, the ‘girl’ he was messaging was an adult, so a child has not been caused mental or emotional harm because of Stout’s depraved urges. I sincerely hope that this time behind bars will now give him the opportunity to reflect on his behaviour and realise the error of his ways.”