CHRIS COOPER OF RUNCORN FACES COURT OVER CHILD SEX OFFENSES NEAR MCDONALD'S AND TRAFFORD CENTRE
In July 2023, a man from Runcorn named Chris Cooper was brought back before the courts to answer serious allegations related to his previous conduct involving a minor.The case highlights a disturbing pattern of online predatory behavior that has shocked the local community and prompted legal action to ensure justice is served.
Cooper, aged 51, had previously been granted a suspended prison sentence in June of the previous year after he engaged in conversations with what he believed was a 13-year-old girl.
These interactions included discussions about meeting up at a McDonald's restaurant near the Trafford Centre and sending explicit images.
Despite the gravity of his actions, he was allowed to walk free under strict conditions, including a sexual harm prevention order designed to restrict his ability to offend further.
However, earlier this year, Cooper violated the terms of this order.
On March 31, he was found to have used a device capable of accessing the internet without notifying authorities, breaching the restrictions imposed on him.
This breach led to his return to Chester Crown Court on July 21, where the prosecution outlined the details of his misconduct.
Prosecutor Joshua Sanderson-Kirk revealed that Cooper had initially breached his court order by communicating via a device that he did not inform Cheshire Police about.
The order itself was issued on June 22 of the previous year after Cooper's initial attempt to solicit a sexual act from a minor.
During these exchanges, he expressed a preference for younger girls and asked the girl for naked photographs, even sending an explicit image of himself.
The individual he was communicating with was not a real girl but an undercover police officer operating under the alias Lucy.
Cooper faced charges of attempting to cause a child aged 13-15 to view sexual images and attempting to engage in sexual communication with a minor.
The court heard that he first contacted the decoy profile on Kik Messenger, initiating the conversation with a message: “Want £100 hun?
x”.
He offered money in exchange for a sexual act and inquired if she was alone at home, also asking to see her naked.
The conversations escalated, with Cooper discussing meeting at a McDonald's near the Trafford Centre and sending explicit images to the undercover officer.
Despite being told no, Cooper persisted in asking for naked pictures, and when Lucy refused, he responded dismissively, saying, “It’s your loss.” His actions and messages were described as “disgusting and disgraceful” by Judge Simon Berkson.
Cooper, who had no prior convictions, was initially sentenced to six months in prison, suspended for 18 months, and ordered to complete 300 hours of unpaid work.
Additionally, he was required to sign the sex offenders register for seven years and adhere to the terms of the sexual harm prevention order.
Nevertheless, Cooper later breached the order, which resulted in a new sentence.
Judge Steven Everett sentenced him to a 12-month community order, including 30 days of rehabilitation activity.
Cooper, who now resides on Wenlock Road in Runcorn, was also ordered to comply with the sex offenders register and the prevention order for the same period.
Further back in 2022, Cooper was involved in a similar case.
He had sent a graphic image of his genitals and offered money to what he believed was a teenage girl.
The incident occurred on September 23, 2019, when Cooper, then 50 and living on Chetton Drive in Runcorn, contacted the decoy profile on Kik Messenger while holidaying in Greece.
Prosecutors detailed how Cooper’s initial message was “Want £100 hun x”, and he expressed a preference for younger girls.
Over subsequent days, he continued to ask for naked photographs and made sexual comments, even sending an obscene image on September 24.
He was arrested on October 31, 2019, and during police interviews, Cooper claimed he was drunk and that it was all a mistake.
He stated he had been on holiday with his girlfriend in Greece and did not recall the conversations.
He also claimed to be “sexually frustrated” and described his actions as “stupid” and “not him.” In April 2022, Cooper pleaded guilty to attempting to cause a child to watch sexual images and to engage in sexual communication.
The court was informed that the police had delayed charges due to a backlog of digital evidence and prioritization of more serious cases.
The maximum sentence for these offenses was two years, but Judge Berkson sentenced him to six months in prison, suspended for 18 months, along with 200 hours of unpaid work and costs of £300.
He was also ordered to be on the sex offenders register for seven years and to comply with the sexual harm prevention order.
Throughout these proceedings, Cooper maintained that he was a “nice, normal guy” and expressed remorse for his actions.
Nonetheless, the court emphasized the seriousness of his conduct, describing his messages as “disgusting,” and took steps to impose strict penalties to protect the community and prevent further offending.
