WORCESTER SEX OFFENDER WITH LOW IQ CHATS TO DECOY GIRLS AND ASSAULTS POLICE
A 'BORED' sex offender with a mental age of 12 harassed 'decoy' children for nude photos, in addition to asking to meet a girl for sex and assaulting a police officer.Alex Whiston, aged 22, was living at supported accommodation in Lansdowne Road, Worcester, when he attempted to contact two girls under 13 via Facebook.
However, he was not talking to real children but to decoys set up by volunteers known as Innocent Voices.
Whiston admitted to three counts of attempting to engage in sexual activity with a child under 13 and one count of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child under 16 during his court hearing via video link at Worcester Crown Court.
Mr.
Nelson, prosecuting, indicated that if not for Whiston’s developmental issues, including an extremely low IQ and inability to function independently, he would have faced a prison sentence between three and nine years, with a starting point of six years.
During the investigation, Whiston also assaulted a female police officer attempting to return him to his supported living in Worcester on December 20 last year, kicking her twice, causing immediate pain.
On September 8, he contacted a second decoy, pretending to be a girl of 12 and asking her for sex, continuing this chat until September 28.
Whiston was arrested on September 29.
He explained he had acted out of boredom.
He was bailed but breached his conditions by failing to return to his accommodation and was found by police in Worcester city center and taken back to his address, where he refused to exit the van and kicked a police officer’s leg again.
Whiston broke bail conditions again and was re-arrested in April.
His solicitor highlighted his developmental disabilities, special school education, and that the decoys were set up by volunteers who may not have known his mental capacity.
The court imposed a section 37 hospital order, sending him to hospital rather than prison, citing his low IQ and developmental issues.
A 10-year sexual harm prevention order was also issued, restricting his internet access and requiring monitoring.
