DAVID CLARKSON CAUGHT IN NEWARK: PAEDOPHILE HUNTER REVEALS SHOCKING ONLINE PREDATOR IN THE HEART OF NOTTINGHAMSHIRE

In a disturbing case that has sent shockwaves through the Newark community, a 48-year-old man named David Clarkson has been convicted and sentenced for engaging in a series of heinous online activities involving under-age girls. The case came to light in November 2016 when police, acting on information provided by a vigilant paedophile hunter, uncovered Clarkson’s disturbing online behavior and subsequent offline meetings.

Authorities revealed that the paedophile hunter had identified Clarkson through online activity, which led to a police raid on his residence located on Yorke Drive in Newark. During the raid, Clarkson was confronted with evidence of his illicit activities, which he attempted to justify by blaming the parents of the victims for not adequately monitoring their children’s internet usage. His defense did little to mitigate the severity of his actions.

Prosecutor Mr. Kevin Jones detailed that police seized Clarkson’s computer equipment and iPhone during the investigation. Clarkson was arrested on suspicion of possessing and distributing indecent images of children, as well as engaging in sexual communication with minors. The investigation uncovered that Clarkson had met multiple victims through social media platforms such as Facebook and an adult introduction website. He then encouraged these minors to switch to unregulated messaging services, where he continued his predatory behavior.

One of Clarkson’s victims was a 15-year-old girl from Derby. According to Mr. Jones, the girl had initially connected with Clarkson via Facebook, where she noted that random individuals would add themselves to her account. Clarkson was among these contacts. He eventually collected her in Derby, but when they met in person, she found him to be unsettling and different from his online persona. Despite her discomfort, she traveled back with him to Newark in his car. Clarkson then produced clothing, claiming it was her size—a baby-doll outfit—and coerced her into dressing up. The most disturbing part of the encounter was when Clarkson produced a camera and began taking photographs of her in the outfit.

Further investigations revealed that Clarkson had also engaged in online chats with other under-age girls. In one conversation, he referred to a second girl as a “hot little number,” despite being aware of her age. He requested a photograph of her in her school uniform, but she sent him a picture of herself in a bikini. The exchange included sexually explicit messages and images, highlighting Clarkson’s predatory intent.

Clarkson’s depravity extended to a third girl, who sent him explicit photographs and a video of herself performing a sexual act. Clarkson told her he was going to jail because she was only 14 years old. In a disturbing comment, he suggested she might consider fleeing to France, referencing a notorious case where a school teacher absconded abroad with an under-age girl. Clarkson also shared a sexually explicit image of the first victim with her.

Adding to the case’s complexity, Clarkson contacted someone he believed to be a 13-year-old named Jodie. Unbeknownst to him, Jodie was actually a male paedophile hunter who had reported Clarkson to the police. Clarkson then sent a near-naked picture of the third girl to Jodie, further illustrating his willingness to share explicit material.

Clarkson ultimately pleaded guilty to 15 charges, which included possession and distribution of indecent images, inciting sexual activity, and the sexual exploitation of minors. His charges also encompassed possession of extreme pornography involving a woman and an animal, as well as perverting the course of justice. Initially, he faced 23 charges, but the court ordered the remaining charges to be left on file.

In a related case, Lisa Hazelwood, aged 32 from Neston Gardens, Leicester, who had met Clarkson on a swingers’ website and had a relationship with him, admitted to possessing five indecent images of under-age girls. Clarkson had instructed Hazelwood to destroy computer equipment following his arrest, claiming he wanted her opinion on the girls’ ages. Hazelwood’s involvement was considered in the case, and she was also charged with perverting the course of justice.

During the sentencing hearing, Clarkson’s defense argued that he was a recluse who had not targeted websites frequented by under-age girls but had instead engaged with adult sites where minors should not have been. His lawyer admitted that Clarkson should have ceased his activities once he learned the girls’ ages but did not do so. The defense emphasized that Clarkson’s interactions were limited to webchat conversations rather than physical meetings.

Judge Mr. Steven Evans delivered a stern sentence, highlighting Clarkson’s social isolation and calculated approach to avoid detection. The judge emphasized the importance of protecting children from predators like Clarkson. As part of his punishment, Clarkson was sentenced to four and a half years in prison, placed on the sex offenders’ register for life, and issued an indefinite sexual harm prevention order.

Hazelwood received a three-year community order, was subjected to a seven-year sexual harm prevention order, and was ordered to register as a sex offender for five years. The case underscores the ongoing threat posed by online predators and the importance of vigilance in safeguarding minors from exploitation.