DAVID DUTTON AND SHOCKING ONLINE OFFENCES IN BLACKPOOL AND WARRINGTON

A notorious paedophile, David Dutton, has been sentenced to prison for his deeply troubling online activities targeting what he believed were underage children. Dutton, aged 67, engaged in a series of sexual communications via the internet, specifically using Warrington as his base for committing these offences, with the clear intention of exploiting minors.

The crimes came to light when authorities set up an undercover sting operation designed to identify and apprehend online offenders. During this operation, Dutton was caught communicating with decoy accounts impersonating children. These accounts were part of a police initiative aimed at rooting out predators who attempt to seduce minors over digital platforms.

Following his arrest, Dutton faced multiple charges. He was formally accused of three counts of attempted sexual communication with a child, as well as three counts of attempting to arrange child sex offences. His actions spanned from August of the previous year, during which he engaged in sexual dialogues with three different decoy victims.

At Chester Crown Court on Friday, June 23, Dutton admitted to all the charges brought against him. Prosecutor Sarah Badrawy outlined the case for the court, emphasizing the nature of his behavior towards each victim.

In each interaction, Dutton initiated inappropriate communication with what he believed were children. One victim recounted how Dutton asked her to send a photograph of herself, flirted with her by describing her as 'gorgeous,' and expressed a desire to take her out if he were younger. He also told her he was 'falling for her.'

Similarly, another target was called 'gorgeous' by Dutton, who also requested a photograph from her. The third victim experienced similar remarks, with Dutton discussing having sexual intercourse with her and again requesting photos.

Throughout these exchanges, Dutton’s intentions were clearly sexual, and his communications were deliberately aimed at obtaining sexual gratification. Importantly, he admitted that he did not reasonably believe that any of the children he was communicating with were over the age of 16—an aggravating factor in his convictions.

In addition to the conversations, Dutton attempted to arrange meetings with each of these decoy accounts, aiming to engage in sexual activities with the victims. These planned encounters, although ultimately thwarted by police sting operations, underscore the seriousness of his offending behavior.

Dutton, now residing on York Avenue in Blackpool, pleaded guilty to all six charges. Judge Simon Berkson sentenced him to a prison term of three years. Furthermore, the court order mandates that he register as a sex offender and comply with notification requirements to the police indefinitely. Dutton will also be subject to a sexual harm prevention order for the next ten years, restricting his activities and monitoring his conduct to prevent further offences.