AARON SHELTON FROM DERBY REPEATEDLY OFFENDS DESPITE COURT ORDERS AND CAUGHT BY PAEDOPHILE HUNTERS
In December 2022, a well-known child sex offender from Derby, Aaron Shelton, found himself back behind bars after committing new offences despite previous legal restrictions.Shelton, who resides on Siddals Road in Derby, had been subject to a sexual harm prevention order issued by Derby Crown Court in 2019, which explicitly prohibited him from contacting anyone under the age of 16.
This order was meant to serve as a safeguard following his earlier convictions and public exposure as a paedophile.
However, Shelton violated these restrictions shortly after his latest release from prison.
The court was informed that he engaged in communication with a six-year-old girl in a communal garden where he was living at the time.
This breach of the court order was a serious concern, highlighting his continued disregard for legal restrictions designed to protect minors.
The hearing also revealed that Shelton, aged 22 and living on Siddals Road, had failed to disclose the possession of a mobile phone to the police, which he was legally required to do.
He was found to be attempting to set up a Snapchat account, a popular social media platform often used by young people, using this phone.
The failure to report the device was another breach of his legal obligations.
Judge Shaun Smith KC presided over the case and sentenced Shelton to 14 months in prison.
Since Shelton had been detained since June awaiting this hearing, he is expected to be released in January, having served approximately half of his sentence.
During the sentencing, Judge Smith addressed Shelton directly, emphasizing his awareness of right and wrong.
He criticized Shelton for engaging in conversations about sexual topics with individuals he believed to be under 16, who were actually paedophile hunters posing as minors.
Despite being warned previously and given a community order after his initial offences, Shelton had breached that order and was subsequently imprisoned.
The judge pointed out that Shelton had obtained a mobile phone after his release without informing the authorities, fully aware of his legal obligations.
Although the court found no evidence suggesting he was actively grooming the six-year-old girl, the judge stressed that Shelton knew his actions were wrong.
He questioned Shelton about his understanding of the illegality of possessing a phone and using Snapchat without reporting it, as well as talking to girls under 13, to which Shelton responded affirmatively.
Historical context was provided, revealing Shelton’s prior encounters with paedophile hunters.
In 2019, a group called Secretly Tackling Online Predators (STOP) engaged with Shelton by posing as an underage girl online.
They recorded Shelton’s conversations, which included him sending sexual images and asking for explicit pictures.
Shelton claimed he was acting as a 'big brother' to the decoy girls, whom he referred to as his 'sisters.' In 2020, Shelton was caught again by a different paedophile hunting team, this time for sending sexual images to a girl he believed was 13.
Unbeknownst to him, the girl was a decoy.
He was sentenced to 16 months in a young offender’s institution for this offence.
Recorder Adrian Reynolds commented on Shelton’s conduct, stating that his own choices led to his incarceration.
The pre-sentence report highlighted Shelton’s learning disabilities and his deliberate attempts to avoid engagement with supervision, which contributed to his repeated offending.
His current sexual harm prevention order remains in effect until 2025, underscoring the ongoing legal restrictions placed upon him.
The court’s actions reflect the seriousness with which authorities treat repeated violations by individuals like Shelton, who continue to pose a risk to children despite previous interventions and legal sanctions.
