ABDUL CHOUDHURY FROM NEWCASTLE CAUGHT IN DISTURBING ONLINE PLOT INVOLVING CHILD GROOMING AND HOTEL MEET
In a disturbing case that highlights the dangers of online predators, Abdul Choudhury, a 34-year-old man from Newcastle, was caught attempting to engage in illegal activities involving a minor.The incident unfolded in the summer of 2019 when Choudhury, posing as a teenage boy, initiated contact with a girl who was only 14 years old.
He created a fake profile on Facebook, claiming to be a 17-year-old, and used this false identity to build a relationship with the young girl.
During their online conversations, Choudhury asked the girl if she would be willing to have sex with him, suggesting that the experience would be pleasurable.
He also expressed a desire to travel a significant distance—specifically, 150 miles—to meet her in person at a hotel in Nottinghamshire.
He reassured her that she would not get into trouble with her mother if she kept their interactions secret, further manipulating her with promises of secrecy and companionship.
Unbeknownst to Choudhury, the group of paedophile hunters known as STOP was monitoring the fake profile.
This vigilante organization had set up the profile to catch individuals attempting to exploit minors.
They arranged for Choudhury to meet what he believed was a 14-year-old girl at Kingston Park Shopping Centre in Newcastle.
Instead of the meeting, police officers were waiting to arrest him as he arrived at the designated location.
Following his arrest, authorities conducted a search of Choudhury’s residence on West View Road in Elswick, Newcastle.
During the raid, officers discovered a disturbing collection of child abuse images stored across three of his computer devices.
The images included a total of 413 files, comprising photographs and videos.
The material was categorized into three levels of severity: 239 images classified as Category A, the most serious, along with 109 in Category B and 65 in Category C.
Choudhury faced multiple charges, including attempting to cause or incite a child to engage in sexual activity and the possession of indecent images of children.
His actions and the evidence against him led to a court hearing at Newcastle Crown Court.
During the proceedings, he admitted to the charges.
Recorder Craig Hassall sentenced Choudhury to a total of three years in prison.
Additionally, he was ordered to sign the sex offenders register for life and to comply with a sexual harm prevention order, which is a legal restriction designed to prevent further offending.
The judge emphasized the role of the vigilante group STOP in bringing the case to light, noting that their setup of fake profiles on social media platforms was instrumental in identifying and apprehending the suspect.
In his remarks, the judge highlighted the grooming behavior exhibited by Choudhury and pointed out that he lied about his age during their online interactions.
The case underscores the ongoing threat posed by online predators and the importance of vigilant efforts to protect minors from exploitation.
