Child sex offender Craig O'Regan sentenced to four years in prison

Craig O'Regan, aged 34, received a four-year prison sentence at Teesside Crown Court after being convicted of child sex offences. He targeted a vulnerable young girl, engaging in disturbing misconduct and making threatening statements. The court learned that O'Regan proposed to demonstrate a sex act to the girl and inquired if she watched pornography. He then showed her how to access adult content and installed spyware on her phone, enabling him to monitor her messages and conversations. The victim, who had been sharing private images with a boy, described feeling 'dirty' and unable to trust anyone in her victim impact statement. She expressed that she felt shattered, uncomfortable, and isolated, stating, 'I'm still hurting and I do believe I will be for a long time because I can't even look at myself the same anymore. To have my body controlled and destroyed utterly shattered me. I feel dirty that his hands have been on me and his eyes have seen me, it makes me uncomfortable. At one point I was pushing everyone away because I just wanted to be alone. I feel like I can't trust anyone.' The court was informed that O'Regan could access her private images and messages, adding to her trauma. His legal team pointed out that he had a limited prior criminal record and had remained trouble-free for over a decade before these offences. They also noted he experienced a mental health crisis months earlier and had lost his job due to the investigation. Police began their inquiry after a third-party report led to his arrest in Thorpe Thewles. O'Regan was found guilty of two counts of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and one charge of perverting the course of justice, resulting in his imprisonment and a five-year restraining order. Detective Sergeant Claire Baker commended the courage of the victim for assisting the prosecution, despite O'Regan's attempts to intimidate her. Detective Chief Inspector Matt Murphy-King underscored the importance of reporting abuse confidentially and seeking support from police and local services. The court ordered a four-year prison term and imposed a five-year restraining order against O'Regan.