DERRICK BLACKWELL FROM GRIMSBY CAUGHT IN CHILD SEX PLOT ON FACEBOOK LIVE
In December 2017, Derrick Blackwell, a 52-year-old security guard from Grimsby, was convicted and sentenced to three years in prison after a disturbing online grooming case came to light.Blackwell had engaged in a series of illicit communications with what he believed was a 13-year-old girl, orchestrated by an online child protection team operating through Facebook.
The team, part of the now-defunct Silent Justice Facebook group, created a fake profile of a teenage girl from Birmingham to lure and catch predators like Blackwell.
According to court proceedings, Blackwell initiated contact with the decoy on October 1, 2017, sending a message that began with, “Hi sweetheart, I’m Derrick.” He quickly expressed admiration for her appearance, stating that he did not mind her age of 13.
The conversation then shifted to messaging platforms, primarily WhatsApp, where Blackwell’s messages became increasingly explicit and inappropriate.
The decoy, acting under the guidelines of Silent Justice, maintained the pretense of being a young girl, repeatedly confirming her age to Blackwell.
During their exchanges, Blackwell made several inappropriate comments, including expressing a desire to see what she was wearing under her skirt and later explicitly stating his wish to take her virginity.
He also asked for photographs, eventually sending an image of his private parts.
Blackwell insisted that their communication remain secret, warning her that he would get into trouble if she told anyone.
He also suggested they meet at Grimsby railway station, where he planned to carry out his sinister intentions.
Before the meeting, he advised her to Google sex positions, indicating his intent to educate her about sexual acts.
Blackwell’s plans unraveled when members of Silent Justice approached him in Grimsby town centre.
Confronted by the group, he initially claimed he was there to buy DVDs but then reacted violently, smashing his phone against a wall and attempting to flee.
He was quickly detained and identified as the individual behind the online messages.
During the confrontation, Blackwell confirmed his identity and admitted to the contact, which was part of the group’s undercover operation.
The court also heard about Blackwell’s prior criminal history, including a 1993 conviction for engaging in sexual activity with a woman who had a mental age of seven and was unable to give consent.
This history underscored the seriousness of his current offenses.
Judge Mark Bury, presiding over the case, acknowledged the efforts of Silent Justice in following strict guidelines to ensure the decoy’s safety and to gather evidence against Blackwell.
The judge described Blackwell as a “dangerous offender” who posed a “significant risk of serious harm to members of the public.” Blackwell pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including three counts of attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity, one count of attempting to cause a child to watch a sexual act, and one count of attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming.
As part of his sentence, he was ordered to serve three years in prison, register as a sex offender, and adhere to a sexual harm prevention order.
His case highlights the ongoing dangers posed by online predators and the importance of vigilant child protection efforts in the digital age.
