CHRISTOPHER JOHNS AND SHOCKING SEX OFFENCE IN BARNSTAPLE

A man known for his dangerous criminal history has been sentenced to prison after grooming a teenage girl he met online in Barnstaple. Christopher Johns, aged 40 and a farmer by occupation, was found guilty of a series of serious offences involving a 15-year-old girl. The court heard that Johns deceived the teenager by claiming he was 20 years old, fueling a false sense of trust.

According to court reports, Johns showered the young girl with gifts, including lingerie, and exchanged explicit photographs with her, further facilitating the grooming process. Over the course of eight visits, he engaged in various forms of sexual activity, also groping and kissing her during these encounters. His actions demonstrated a troubling pattern of predatory behavior, and he actually boasted to a friend online about seeing her, believing he had unchecked control over the situation.

It was revealed that Johns has a documented history of targeting young girls. In 2011, he was convicted of similar offences against a 14-year-old girl and received a prison sentence of four years. Since then, he had undergone probation and completed a sex offender treatment program, but evidently, his criminal tendencies persisted. Authorities had previously identified him as a dangerous offender due to his past actions.

During the recent trial, his defense lawyer, Mr. Herc Ashworth, described Johns as a lonely and simple man leading a secluded existence mainly in the company of his elderly mother and dogs. His lawyer pointed out that Johns’ loneliness increased during the COVID-19 lockdown and emphasized that the offending behavior occurred over only a five-week period. Mr. Ashworth acknowledged Johns’ remorse and understood that his client recognized the wrongfulness of his actions.

Johns, residing on Lyndhurst Avenue in Barnstaple, pleaded guilty to nine separate offences, including engaging in sexual activity with a child, inciting a child to participate in sexual acts, communicating with a minor for sexual purposes, and breaching the conditions of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO). In light of the offences, he was sentenced to serve five years and three months in prison. Additionally, he will be subject to a further extended license period of five years upon release.

The presiding judge, Judge Peter Johnson, addressed Johns’ prior criminal record, noting that he had been convicted of similar sexual offenses in 2011 involving a female minor, with a subsequent court appeal resulting in an extended sentence of seven years—comprising four years behind bars and a three-year extended license. Johns was also subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order at that time, which he was found to have violated.

Judge Johnson highlighted that within just two days of initially meeting the girl online, Johns began sending her sexually explicit messages despite knowing she was only 15 years old. He also sent her explicit images, which she reciprocated. The judge stressed that Johns also showered her with gifts such as a mobile phone, lingerie, and make-up, all part of his grooming strategy aimed at facilitating sexual contact.

The court reviewed risk assessments concerning Johns’ potential to reoffend. While one tool deemed his risk of reoffending within the next two years as only nine percent, Judge Johnson and probation services did not accept this appraisal. They pointed to Johns’ past behavior and previous dangerousness finding in 2011.

Despite being aware that the girl was just 15, Johns deliberately continued his contact with her, breaching the conditions of his prior SHPO. Judge Johnson declared him to remain a significant danger to the public. Consequently, Johns will serve the prison sentence and will then be subjected to an extended five-year license supervised in the community. As part of his legal restrictions, he was ordered to stay away from any contact with girls under 16 and to limit his use of internet-enabled devices, aiming to prevent further grooming and exploitation.