DUNMOW AND THAXTED MAN CHRIS CHATTERS CAUGHT GROOMING 15-YEAR-OLD BOY ON GRINDR IN SUPERMARKET CAR PARK

In a disturbing case that has shocked the communities of Dunmow and Thaxted, Chris Chatters, a 48-year-old man from Thaxted, was found guilty of grooming a 15-year-old boy through the popular gay dating app Grindr. The incident unfolded when Chatters engaged in sexual conversations with an undercover paedophile hunter, who was posing as a minor on the platform. The predator initiated contact with the undercover agent using the username 'Cruising' and falsely claimed his name was 'Jay'.

After the undercover hunter revealed his age as 15, Chatters responded with a chilling remark: “Age is not a problem.” The conversation quickly escalated into explicit sexual dialogue, with Chatters discussing penetrative sexual acts and the child's sexual preferences across multiple messaging platforms. Prosecutor Mr. Crimbs detailed that the conversation became highly sexualized, with Chatters explicitly discussing sexual activities involving a minor.

Further evidence showed that Chatters sent videos of himself masturbating to the person he believed was a 15-year-old boy. The discussions culminated in plans to meet in a supermarket car park in Dunmow, with Chatters initially expressing a preference for a more discreet location before agreeing to meet at the supermarket. The meeting was scheduled for May 15, 2017, in the Dunmow area.

However, the undercover officer promptly notified the police, who responded swiftly. Officers arrested Chatters at the scene in Dunmow. During police interviews, Chatters claimed he was acting “for his own good” and wanted to warn 'Ben' about meeting older men, suggesting a misguided attempt to justify his actions. His phone and laptop were seized, revealing a disturbing collection of indecent images, including Category A and Category C material involving teenage boys. Among these was an extreme video depicting activities with a dog.

In police interviews, Chatters admitted to using gay dating apps and expressed suspicion that 'Ben' was someone he knew who intended to expose his sexuality, as his family and friends were unaware of his orientation. He claimed he wanted to expose this individual and had warned a 15-year-old to avoid engaging with older men.

On Monday, May 21, 2018, Chatters was sentenced to 15 months in prison, suspended for two years. Judge David Pugh, presiding over the case at Chelmsford Crown Court, emphasized the gravity of the offense, stating, “You thought you were communicating with a teenage boy and you arranged to meet up, and it is clear that the intention was for penetrative sexual activity.”

Judge Pugh acknowledged that the offense was an attempt, and the actual act was not completed. He also noted that Chatters had previously been of good character but was beginning to address his behavior. As part of his sentence, Chatters is required to participate in a sex offender treatment program, complete 140 hours of unpaid work, and will be subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for ten years. Additionally, he was ordered to pay £500 in costs.