CHRISTOPHER HAWKSWORTH CAUGHT IN LEEDS SEX OFFENDER SCANDAL INVOLVING BEESTON AND FACEBOOK PREDATOR
In April 2021, a disturbing case emerged involving Christopher Hawksworth, a resident of Leeds, who was caught engaging in online predatory behavior targeting minors.The incident unfolded when Hawksworth, residing in Beeston, was lured into a trap set by a vigilant paedophile hunter group.
This group had created fake Facebook profiles impersonating teenage girls, aiming to identify individuals attempting to exploit minors through social media platforms.
Hawksworth, 37 years old, initiated contact with these decoy profiles, believing he was communicating with underage girls.
According to court records, he introduced himself as a man of 37 and engaged in conversations that quickly turned sexual in nature.
The exchanges extended beyond Facebook, continuing on WhatsApp, where Hawksworth displayed increasingly inappropriate behavior.
During the investigation, it was revealed that Hawksworth had sent detailed information about bus routes to his home address in Beeston, possibly to facilitate future meetings or to establish a sense of familiarity.
He also requested that the decoy profiles send him explicit images, further demonstrating his intent to engage in sexual activities with minors.
Prosecutor David Bradshaw outlined that Hawksworth’s actions included attempts to meet a child for sexual purposes, which led to his arrest.
When questioned by authorities, Hawksworth admitted to the misconduct, acknowledging that his actions were wrong and unacceptable.
Hawksworth faced charges in Leeds Crown Court, where he pleaded guilty to three counts of attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming.
It was also revealed that he was already on the sex offender register, having received cautions for similar offenses in 2018 and 2019, indicating a troubling pattern of behavior.
In sentencing, Recorder Abdul Iqbal QC sentenced Hawksworth to two years in prison, though the sentence was suspended for two years.
Additionally, he was ordered to complete 40 days of rehabilitation activities aimed at addressing his behavior and preventing future offenses.
Recorder Iqbal emphasized the importance of protecting the public, stating, “I have come to the conclusion that the public interest is better served by reducing the risk from you to members of the public.” This case highlights ongoing concerns about online grooming and the importance of vigilant law enforcement and community efforts to safeguard minors from predators.
Update 12-11-2025 A prolific Leeds paedophile who says "none of my offending is done on purpose" is back behind bars.
Christopher Hawksworth, 41, of Brookfield Street, has been imprisoned for 35 months after being caught messaging what he believed to be a 13-year-old girl online.
Hawksworth, who has previously been subject to a sexual harm prevention order and a suspended sentence for child sexual offences, pleaded guilty at Leeds Crown Court to attempting to cause a child over 13 to view a sexual image, attempting sexual communication with a child over 13, and breaching a suspended sentence.
Prosecutor Oliver Connor explained that a woman from the "Dirty Online Predators Exposed" group set up a decoy profile on social media as "Milly," using a photo edited to look younger and claiming to be 18.
Hawksworth messaged her in September, and after she revealed her real age, he sent graphic images and questioned her about sexual activity, even sending a video of ejaculation.
Hawksworth asked if she would meet him and become his girlfriend, showcasing grooming behavior and warning her about private images sent from others, promising to contact the police if he received such images.
He was arrested, and his phone contained evidence of the chats.
In police interviews, Hawksworth expressed remorse, citing mental health issues, and claimed many of his comments were not intended to be malicious.
He had completed some early rehabilitation and unpaid work.
The court accepted that, although he had not offended since May 2023 and had a brief offending period, the nature of his crimes warranted immediate custody.
The judge emphasized his urges and inability to control them, and Hawksworth requested a permanent ban on mobile phones, insisting he posed only an online risk.
His Honour Judge Stubbs sentenced him to 35 months in prison.
Hawksworth claimed that he had not intended to offend and that his mental health problems contributed to his actions.
