FRANCIS KNIGHT: PORTSMOUTH SEX OFFENDER WHO CONTACTED CHILDREN ONLINE STRIKES AGAIN

In November 2019, a well-known sex offender from Portsmouth, Francis Knight, found himself once again before the magistrates, facing serious allegations related to his online activities involving minors. Knight, whose address is listed as Cornwallis Crescent, Landport, has a troubling history of sexual offenses against children. His previous conviction dates back to May 2013, when he was sentenced to 16 months in prison. However, following an appeal in August of the same year, his sentence was significantly increased to four years by the Court of Appeal in London, reflecting the gravity of his actions.

Most recently, Knight, aged 37, admitted to breaching a sex offences prevention order that had been imposed on him. The breach occurred between August 1 and August 30 of this year, during which he took steps to erase his online activity by deleting his history on the Grindr gay dating app. This act of attempting to conceal his online presence was part of his ongoing pattern of offending.

At Portsmouth Magistrates’ Court last month, Knight was handed a 12-month community order. As part of this sentence, he is required to participate in 20 days of rehabilitation activities designed to address his offending behavior. Additionally, he must complete 60 hours of unpaid work and pay court costs amounting to £170. The court’s decision underscores the seriousness with which the judicial system views his repeated breaches and the potential risk he poses to the community.

Details of Knight’s offending reveal a disturbing pattern of online predation. It was reported that he had posed as a teenage girl online, specifically on platforms like Facebook and Grindr, to lure young boys into performing sexual acts over webcams. The court proceedings and victim statements highlighted six cases involving victims aged between nine and 13, but it was also acknowledged that Knight had contacted approximately 250 children over a span of two years.

Back in August 2013, Knight’s actions drew significant attention when his sentence was deemed 'unduly lenient' by the Court of Appeal. At that time, he was 31 years old and had used Facebook to impersonate a teenage girl, befriending boys and inciting them to perform sexual acts in front of webcams so he could observe. The appeal court judges, including Lady Justice Rafferty, Mr. Justice Griffith Williams, and Mrs. Justice Thirlwall, increased his sentence to better reflect the scale of his offending.

During the appeal, the Solicitor General Oliver Heald emphasized that Knight’s crimes were 'non-consensual' because the victims were under 13 and unaware of his true identity. He described Knight’s actions as 'appalling,' noting that he exploited the trust of young boys for his own gratification. Victim impact statements revealed feelings of fear, shame, and anger among those affected, illustrating the profound emotional toll of Knight’s online abuse.

In the earlier 2013 case, Knight was also found guilty of hacking into Facebook accounts of teenage girls, which he used to facilitate his contact with young boys. His method involved creating and cloning online personas to deceive and manipulate his victims. The court heard that even after his arrest, Knight continued to offend, demonstrating a calculated and manipulative approach to his crimes.

Judge John Dixon, who sentenced Knight to 16 months for 18 counts including inciting children to engage in sexual activities and producing indecent images of children, described his actions as 'calculated and artful.' The judge highlighted the distress caused to victims and their families, some of whom were so affected that they sobbed in court or had to leave due to emotional distress. Knight’s deception extended to making some boys perform sex acts with friends for his viewing pleasure, further illustrating the extent of his manipulative behavior.

Law enforcement officials, including detectives from the Netley paedophile unit, conducted extensive investigations involving Hampshire, Manchester, and other regions. Detective Sergeant Richard Wheeler praised the courage of the victims and emphasized the long-lasting impact such offenses can have. The operation involved sifting through vast amounts of digital data to identify victims and gather evidence, underscoring the complexity and seriousness of online child exploitation cases.

Authorities continue to warn parents and guardians about the dangers of online grooming and encourage vigilance to protect children from predators like Francis Knight. For further advice on online safety, residents are directed to visit the Hampshire Police website at hampshire.police.uk/internet/advice-and-information/general/online-safety.