LEEDS PAEDOPHILE CONNOR CHURCHILL CAUGHT IN ONLINE CHILD ABUSE PLOT AT M62 SERVICES
A disturbing case has emerged involving a man from Leeds who engaged in online conversations with what he believed were guardians willing to allow him to abuse their children.Connor Churchill, aged 24, was found to have been actively seeking opportunities to commit acts of child abuse through social media platforms such as Kik and Snapchat.
According to court proceedings, Churchill had contacted what he thought were two parents or guardians, discussing the possibility of abusing their children or watching them being abused.
The conversations included plans to meet at a service station on the M62 motorway, where he intended to carry out abuse on an eight-year-old girl, identified as his niece.
However, Churchill ultimately made excuses to avoid attending the meeting, raising suspicions that he was not genuinely committed to the plans.
Unbeknownst to Churchill, both profiles he communicated with were operated by undercover police officers.
These officers posed as paedophiles to gather evidence of his intentions.
Leeds Crown Court heard that Churchill, who resides at Clog Mill Gardens in Selby but had previously lived in Micklefield, admitted to two counts of arranging a child sex offence.
Additionally, he was found to possess three indecent images of children on his Samsung mobile phone.
Prosecutor Ayman Khokhar detailed that Churchill first initiated contact in July 2022, claiming he was seeking like-minded individuals with a particular sexual interest.
He expressed a preference for girls aged between six and 14 but indicated he was open to most ages within that range.
During the exchanges, an officer pretending to be the guardian of an eight-year-old girl offered to meet at Hartshead Moor Services, which was arranged for the purpose of the alleged abuse.
Further conversations involved Churchill communicating with another officer on Kik, where he mentioned having a seven-year-old daughter.
Churchill discussed the possibility of having sex with the girl, but again, he made excuses to avoid meeting her in person.
His arrest took place on October 11, 2022, during which he told officers, “I would never have gone through with it.
I need help.” Authorities found five Category A images—classified as the most serious—along with one Category B and six Category C images on his phone, indicating possession of illegal material.
Despite his claims of no sexual interest in children, the court heard that Churchill had engaged in explicit discussions and had intentions to commit abuse.
During mitigation, defense lawyer Celine Kart emphasized Churchill’s remorse, noting that he had backed out of the planned meetings and made multiple excuses.
She described him as being ashamed of his actions and expressed that he hates what he did and himself.
She also highlighted that Churchill is willing to address his offending behavior, acknowledging the complexity of his situation.
Judge Andrew Stubbs KC considered Churchill’s remorse, lack of previous convictions, and his withdrawal from the planned meetings when passing sentence.
Churchill was sentenced to five years in prison, placed under a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO), and was ordered to register as a sex offender for life, reflecting the severity of his offending and the need for ongoing monitoring.
