DAMON TAYLOR FROM BRIDLINGTON JAILED FOR ONLINE STALKING AND CHILD PORNOGRAPHY

In April 2013, Damon Taylor, a 36-year-old man from Bridlington, was sentenced to four years in prison after being convicted of serious offenses related to online child exploitation and stalking. Taylor, who has a troubling history of 45 sexual offences, was found guilty of engaging in disturbing online activities aimed at young girls, including the distribution of vile images and persistent stalking behavior.

His criminal record includes an 18-month prison sentence for sex acts committed in front of children, from which he was released early. Despite this, Taylor continued his predatory behavior by collecting and sharing indecent images of young girls, amassing a total of 183 such images. He also actively sought out a 16-year-old girl as a potential online partner, entering chat rooms with the intent of establishing a relationship.

Judge Mark Bury addressed Taylor directly during the sentencing, emphasizing the ongoing risk he posed to children. The judge stated, “There is a real risk that you will commit sexual offences in the future and there will be serious harm to children.”

During police raids on his residence at Seathorne Walk in Bridlington, authorities uncovered incriminating evidence. Under his bed, officers discovered three white school shirts belonging to children and a pair of girls’ pants, further illustrating his disturbing interests.

Prosecutor Julia Baggs explained that Taylor had been prohibited from using the internet due to a Sexual Offences Prevention Order issued by York Crown Court in 2010. However, he continued his illicit activities using a £500 iPhone, which police seized during their investigation. Analysis of the device linked it to an email address Taylor used to search for a girlfriend, with browsing history revealing visits to websites with titles like Little Pre-Teens and MeCom.

Ms. Baggs revealed that Taylor admitted to regularly communicating with girls under 16 and expressed a preference for those aged 11 to 14. He also confessed to sending out 226 indecent images, some involving ritual abuse, and to sharing indecent images of himself. His actions included attempts to solicit explicit images from young girls, further demonstrating his predatory behavior.

On Monday, April 15, Taylor appeared at Hull Crown Court in custody, where he pleaded guilty to two charges of creating and distributing indecent images of children, as well as two breaches of his Sexual Offences Prevention Order. A psychological assessment described him as having low intellectual functioning and believed that, despite his age, he was emotionally equivalent to the young girls he targeted.

Defense lawyer Paul Norton urged the court to avoid imposing an indeterminate sentence, acknowledging the potential danger Taylor posed but emphasizing the importance of a chance for rehabilitation. However, Judge Bury was firm in his judgment, highlighting the evidence from Taylor’s iPhone as proof of his ongoing obsession with child exploitation.

“Each of these images represents harm to a child, as you know,” the judge remarked. “Worse than that, you sent them to children. You were hoping they would send you pictures of themselves. A psychiatric report indicates your interest in girls aged eleven to fourteen, which is highly unusual. You have little insight into your sexual behavior, and the risk of re-offending is high.”

Concluding the sentencing, Judge Bury ordered that Taylor serve four years in prison, followed by a four-year extended license period. This means that if he commits any further offences after his early release, he could be liable to serve up to eight years in total, reflecting the serious nature of his crimes and the potential threat he poses to children in Bridlington and beyond.