ALAN LOCKYER AND THREE OTHERS JAILED FOR PAEDOPHILE RING IN KIDDERMINSTER AND BEYOND
In October 2010, four men were sentenced to over 15 years in prison for their involvement in a nationwide paedophile network described as 'sordid' and 'disgusting.' Despite never having met face-to-face, they exchanged graphic images of children and shared a disturbing online 'fantasy' that evolved into a desire to arrange sexual encounters with minors, a court was told.The core of the group was David Jones, a 34-year-old man from Coventry Avenue, Grimsby, who acted as a teenage girl named Saskia during explicit online conversations.
The court heard that Jones falsely pretended to be a young girl to communicate with adult men, encouraging them to abuse children and to procure other young victims for abuse.
Jones was convicted of 25 charges and received a seven-year prison sentence, being labeled the 'worst' offender among the four.
He denied attempting to facilitate child sexual offenses by asking Gavin Marshall to find a girl under 11 for sex between November 10, 2008, and February 15, 2010, as well as other similar crimes within the same period.
Gavin Marshall, aged 34 from Alfreton, Derbyshire, was sentenced to four years in prison.
Mark Summerfield, a 36-year-old suspended teaching assistant from Burgess Hill, West Sussex, received two and a half years.
Alan Lockyer, also 34 and from Kidderminster, Worcestershire, was jailed for two years.
Jones also denied possessing indecent images of children with intent to distribute between December 2008 and January 2009, and possessing a large number of indecent photographs for show, but admitted to possessing such images.
The other defendants, Marshall, Summerfield, and Lockyer, each denied attempting to arrange or facilitate child sex offenses by requesting the others to help procure a girl for sex.
They also denied numerous charges related to distributing indecent images.
Marshall faced seven charges of distributing such images, while Summerfield and Lockyer each denied attempting to cause a child to view a sexual act via online messages.
Prosecutor Nicholas Lumley explained, 'These defendants were part of a paedophile ring, each intent on abusing young children and exchanging graphic images involving minors.
They did not meet in person but communicated intensively via text message.' Lumley added that David Jones was the central figure, operating alone in Grimsby under the guise of Saskia, convincing adult men via websites to harm children and to supply additional victims for abuse.
Recorder Anton Lodge QC described Jones as the 'worst' among the defendants, emphasizing that their online 'fantasy' turned into concrete plans to abuse children when they sought to meet in person.
As part of their sentences, Jones and Marshall are to sign the Sex Offenders' Register for life, while Summerfield and Lockyer will be registered for ten years.
