ALEXANDER APLIN FROM AMESBURY SENTENCED FOR GROOMING AND SEXUAL OFFENCES INVOLVING FAKE TEEN IN WILTSHIRE

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Amesbury, Wiltshire, a married scientist employed by the Ministry of Defence has been convicted of engaging in inappropriate and illegal communications with a girl he believed to be a 14-year-old. The individual, Alexander Aplin, aged 52, who has dedicated over three decades of his career to laser research at Porton Down, was found to have become 'obsessed and infatuated' with the fictitious girl, who was actually a decoy set up by a vigilant group of paedophile hunters.

According to court reports, Aplin initiated contact with the fake teenager via the Nearby chat application in October of the previous year. Over the course of nearly three weeks, from October 6 to October 27, he exchanged numerous messages, many of which contained highly inappropriate and sexually explicit content. He sent her messages asking her to 'flash' and shared videos related to masturbation, clearly indicating his sexual interest in someone he believed was a minor.

His intentions escalated when he arranged to meet the girl at a shopping centre at the end of October. He was carrying a bag containing red lace thongs, condoms, and lubricant, suggesting he was prepared for a sexual encounter. At the time, he was in the process of planning a 'day trip to Stonehenge' for the two of them, which underscores the premeditation involved in his actions. However, his plans were thwarted when members of the group Justice for the Innocent confronted him before the meeting could take place.

Following his arrest, Aplin pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including attempting to incite a girl aged 13 or over to engage in penetrative sexual activity, attempting to meet a girl under 16 following grooming, and attempting to send sexual communications to a child. During police interviews, the scientist admitted that he found the attention 'exciting' and that he would try to contact the girl whenever possible. Shockingly, he also told authorities that there was a possibility he might have had sex with her if she had been real, despite being a father of two children himself and having a wife with whom he shared a joint mortgage.

In a video posted online by the paedophile hunting group, Aplin claimed that the girl was 18 and smirked when confronted, dismissing the allegations by saying, 'People say all sorts of things online, and you’re making out she doesn’t exist.'

Prosecutor Colin Meekes highlighted the disturbing nature of Aplin's behavior, stating, 'It is clear this is an older man who is obsessed and infatuated by the girl he thought he was talking to. He called her darling, and their conversations often began with