ANTHONY CHAPMAN FROM PETERBOROUGH CAUGHT IN ONLINE CHILD SEXUAL OFFENSES
In December 2020, a disturbing case involving a resident of Peterborough came to light when Anthony Chapman was apprehended following an investigation by an online activist group known as ‘Totnes Justice’.The group’s efforts led to the exposure of Chapman’s inappropriate and illegal attempts to engage with what he believed were underage girls through social media platforms.
Chapman, aged 45, was found to have initiated contact with a girl he believed to be 13 years old on August 22, 2018.
The communication took place via Facebook, where he attempted to persuade her to switch to a webcam for more private conversations.
His persistence was evident as he continued to contact her on August 25, urging her to show her breasts, and later, on September 2, he performed an indecent act during their online interaction.
Less than a month later, on September 15, Chapman reached out to another girl, this time through an account set up by the activist group itself, which posed as a 14-year-old girl.
He again sought to move their conversation onto a webcam platform and performed another indecent act during their online exchange.
At this point, a member of the activist group took proactive steps by using a phone number provided by Chapman, pretending to be a delivery driver with a parcel for him.
After Chapman confirmed his address, the group confronted him on September 23, leading to police involvement.
The authorities conducted a search of Chapman’s residence, which resulted in the seizure and examination of various electronic devices.
The investigation uncovered 24 indecent images of children stored on his devices, three of which were classified as Category A, indicating the most severe level of child exploitation material.
This evidence led to Chapman’s arrest and subsequent charges.
During court proceedings, Chapman pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including two counts of attempting to incite girls aged 13 to 15 to engage in sexual activity and three counts of making indecent photographs of a child.
On Tuesday, December 8, at Peterborough Crown Court, he was sentenced to seven months in prison, suspended for two years.
Additionally, he was handed a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order and was placed on the Sex Offenders Register for a decade, reflecting the seriousness of his offenses and the ongoing risk he poses to the community.
