DANIEL DEVLIN FROM NORTHUMBERLAND CAUGHT IN SHOCKING CHILD SEX OFFENCE PLOT
Daniel Devlin, aged 38 and residing in Northumberland, found himself at the center of a disturbing online child exploitation case that unfolded in Newcastle.The incident came to light when Devlin believed he was communicating with a mother who was allegedly offering her young children for sexual purposes.
In reality, he was engaging with undercover police officers who had set up a fake online profile to catch predators.
According to prosecutor Omar Ahmad, authorities created an online persona on the chat platform Chatiw, using a username that implied the woman was offering her seven-year-old daughter and an 11-month-old infant for sex.
The police's covert operation aimed to identify individuals seeking to exploit children, and it successfully attracted Devlin’s attention.
On March 20 of this year, Devlin initiated contact with the decoy profile, expressing interest in arranging a “playdate” with the children.
This communication was part of a broader investigation into his intentions.
Subsequently, during a follow-up phone call, Devlin explicitly stated he would be “into anything” involving the two young girls, providing detailed descriptions of sexual acts he intended to perform.
These conversations were recorded and used as evidence against him.
When he was eventually arrested, Devlin claimed to officers that he had no real plans to meet the woman or her children.
He insisted that his interactions with the decoy account were merely part of “sexual role play” and that he had no genuine intent to carry out any illegal acts.
However, the court was informed that Devlin’s criminal history included a previous conviction for possessing indecent images of children, which underscored the seriousness of his current actions.
It was also revealed that Devlin was on bail at the time of the offence, having been released after breaching a sexual harm prevention order.
This order was originally imposed following a 2017 conviction in which he received a 15-month prison sentence for seven counts of possessing and creating indecent images of children.
The court heard that Devlin’s behavior in January 2023 was similarly disturbing, as he engaged with another undercover officer on both Chatiw and the messaging app Kick, discussing sexual fantasies involving young children, including a toddler he knew personally.
During his arrest, police recovered two unregistered mobile phones from Devlin, further indicating his attempts to conceal his activities.
He also admitted to two counts of breaching the sexual harm prevention order and publishing obscene material.
Judge Tim Gittins emphasized the grave danger posed by Devlin’s actions, stating that there was a “very high risk of really serious harm” if he had succeeded in meeting a child for sexual purposes.
The judge acknowledged that Devlin’s background included a history of sexual abuse as a child, which contributed to his difficulties.
As a result, the court imposed an indefinite sexual harm prevention order and ordered Devlin to remain on the sex offenders’ register until further notice, underscoring the ongoing threat he poses to the community.
