PRESTON MAN ANTHONY STEWART ESCAPES JAIL AFTER PREDATORY ONLINE BEHAVIOUR IN PRESTON
Anthony Stewart, a 43-year-old resident of Preston, narrowly avoided a prison sentence after being caught in a sting operation conducted by paedophile hunters.The incident took place in Preston, where Stewart was found to have engaged in disturbing online communications with what he believed were underage girls.
These interactions, which involved explicit messages and images, led to his arrest and subsequent court proceedings.
Stewart, who hails from the Deepdale area of Preston, appeared before the city’s Crown Court to face charges related to attempting to engage in sexual communications with minors.
The court was informed that he had initiated contact with two decoys, Molly and Imogen, who were part of an online child protection group called Elite.
These decoys posed as 14-year-old girls, and Stewart believed he was communicating with real minors.
According to court records, Stewart first contacted Molly via Facebook in July 2023.
During their conversations, he inquired about her photographs, her relationship status, and whether she met with others in person.
Stewart claimed to be 25 years old at the start of their interaction but later adjusted his age to 19 when messaging Imogen.
The decoys responded with fake images of teenage girls, and Stewart responded positively, describing Molly’s image as “pretty.” As the conversations progressed, Stewart showed increasing interest in other social media platforms, asking if she used additional sites where more explicit exchanges could occur.
The messaging was transferred to WhatsApp in December, where Stewart’s language became more direct and explicit.
He sent images of his private parts and urged Molly to reciprocate, demonstrating a clear escalation in his predatory behaviour.
His interactions with Imogen, although shorter, were equally vulgar.
At one point, Stewart openly expressed his sexual frustration, stating he was “as horny as ****.” The Elite group, after monitoring these exchanges, decided to report Stewart to the police.
They handed over all the evidence collected during the sting operation.
When police arrested Stewart at a residence in Preston, he responded with a simple “no comment” to all questions.
The authorities revealed that Stewart had a lengthy criminal record, although none of his previous convictions were related to sexual offences.
His past offences included 13 appearances in court for alcohol-related disorderly conduct, with no prior indications of predatory behaviour towards minors.
During the court hearing, Stewart pleaded guilty to two charges of attempting to engage in sexual communications with a child.
His defence lawyer, Beverley Hackett, described her client as “deeply ashamed” of his actions and highlighted his struggles with long-standing alcohol problems, which had previously led him to consume between eight and 15 pints of beer daily.
She emphasized that Stewart was aware of the gravity of his situation and acknowledged that his past convictions did not include offences of this nature.
Ms.
Hackett also revealed that Stewart had a history of mental health issues, including suicide attempts, the most recent being in January.
She stressed that he bore no excuses for his online behaviour but believed that, with proper support, he could be rehabilitated and reintegrated into the community.
Judge Heather Lloyd, presiding over the case, addressed Stewart directly, condemning his actions as “utterly vile and predatory.” She pointed out that Stewart believed he was communicating with 14-year-old girls and that his continued pursuit of these interactions, despite knowing their age, was deeply disturbing.
The judge noted that Stewart’s claims of boredom and denial of sexual interest in children were unconvincing and that his behaviour demonstrated a clear sexual attraction to minors.
While expressing doubts about Stewart’s potential for rehabilitation, Judge Lloyd decided to impose a sentence of nine months in prison, suspended for two years.
She also mandated that Stewart participate in 20 days of rehabilitation programs and undergo six months of alcohol treatment.
Additionally, she issued a sexual harm prevention order for ten years to restrict his online activities and protect potential future victims.
In her sentencing remarks, Judge Lloyd clarified that her decision to suspend the prison term was influenced by the fact that the children involved in the sting were not real minors.
Had they been actual children, she stated, the sentence would have been much harsher and immediate.
Her verdict underscores the seriousness with which the court views online predatory behaviour, even when the victims are decoys.
