PAEDOPHILE CAUGHT IN STING
An "aggrieved" paedophile claimed he was trying to trick hunters after being caught in a sting for a second time.Craig Carter planned to meet what he believed was a 12-year-old girl at a train station for sexual purposes but was unaware he was speaking to an undercover police officer.
The 'manipulative and predatory' sex offender appeared before a judge, dismissing his lengthy prison sentence as 'ridiculous.' During a trial at Liverpool Crown Court, it was revealed that the 37-year-old from Imison Street, Walton, had started using the pseudonym 'Craig85' on the chat service Chatiw in November 2021 to contact the supposed minor.
Prosecutor Arthur Gibson explained that Carter's conversation continued on Snapchat, where he sought indecent images, extended invitations to his home, and arranged to meet at Walton Station.
He responded to a picture of a young girl in a nightgown by complimenting her as 'sexy' and encouraging her to lift her nighty, also asking whether she 'wanted to be his girlfriend,' with the conversation escalating over several days.
Carter grew suspicious when the girl did not send a photo at the meeting point as planned on November 25, leading him to cancel the meeting.
Later that day, police raided his residence and arrested him.
He questioned how officers obtained his address without him providing it.
He claimed his intention was to find online predators, to engage them, waste their time, and see them walking past his house so he could mock them.
Carter admitted he was aware from the outset that the 'girl' was a fake.
This incident followed a 2017 conviction for attempting to encourage a child to engage in sexual activities and grooming, involving fake Facebook profiles of underage girls.
On another occasion, Carter said he thought he was meeting an ex-girlfriend at Hendon Station in London, believing the online conversation was role-play, not real intent.
He received a two-year prison sentence from Harrow Crown Court, along with a 10-year notification order and a sexual harm prevention order for the same period.
He claimed these sanctions had 'ruined his life,' left him 'devastated,' and fueled desires for revenge against the paedophile hunters who he said had wrongly convicted him.
In December, Carter was found guilty of attempting sexual communication with a minor, inciting a child to perform sexual acts, and planning a child sex offence.
His lawyer, Suzanne Payne, argued that he suffered from 'poor mental health' and lived in a 'squalid' flat, asserting that his mental health issues were linked to his offending.
From HMP Liverpool via video link, Carter was sentenced to seven and a half years in prison with an extended five-year licence.
He is required to serve at least two-thirds of his sentence before becoming eligible for release.
Judge Neil Flewitt KC commented that Carter’s claim of being 'aggrieved' and seeking to entrap online predators was rejected by the jury, which found he intended to meet a girl for sexual purposes.
The judge described Carter as an 'intelligent, determined, manipulative and predatory paedophile,' emphasizing his lack of remorse, based on his deceptive defenses and courtroom demeanor.
The judge concluded Carter poses a significant threat to children.
As the sentence was announced, Carter appeared surprised, with eyes wide and head in his hands, reiterating 'that's ridiculous,' and was observed shaking his head during the sentencing.
