JOHN TAYLOR SHILDON CAUGHT IN ONLINE GROOMING PLOT NEAR DURHAM

In January 2021, a disturbing case unfolded involving John Taylor, a 62-year-old man from Shildon, who was caught attempting to engage in illegal and predatory online activities targeting minors. The incident was brought to light after vigilant groups uncovered Taylor’s attempts to groom what he believed were underage girls through social media platforms.

According to court proceedings at Durham Crown Court, Taylor, an unemployed HGV driver, had initiated a series of online conversations with what he thought were two young girls, aged 13 and 14. These profiles, however, were not genuine but were created by paedophile-hunting organizations, Action for Kids North-West and Guardians of the North, to catch predators like Taylor. The court was told that Taylor believed he was communicating with underage girls and sent hundreds of messages over a period of time.

Initially, his messages appeared relatively benign, with Taylor asking about their school lives and their relationships with their parents. He even issued warnings to one of the profiles, cautioning her to be careful when talking to boys online, implying that other males might try to manipulate her into sexual activity. As the conversations progressed, Taylor’s tone shifted to a more sexual nature. He sent emojis of hearts, cuddly animals, and bouquets, claiming that he considered the girl to be his girlfriend.

However, the exchanges soon became more explicit. Taylor began requesting photographs and, in one instance, attempted to arrange a face-to-face meeting in a car park, instructing the girl to keep the meeting secret. Prosecutor Paul Newcombe explained that the groups involved alerted police after discovering Taylor’s communications. Law enforcement officers swiftly responded, arresting Taylor and subsequently questioning him. During the interview, Taylor chose to remain silent, making no comment to the questions posed.

He faced multiple charges, including three counts of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, with two of those counts involving a phone call to one of the profiles. The police investigation revealed that Taylor had a history of nine previous offences, although none had been recorded since 2006. At the time of his arrest, Taylor was living on Dean Street in Shildon.

In court, Taylor admitted to all three charges. A probation report highlighted that he required targeted rehabilitation programs to mitigate the risk of reoffending. The judge, James Adkin, acknowledged the severity of the case, noting that the sexualized nature of Taylor’s messages exceeded the threshold for custody.

His legal representative, Amrit Jandoo, acknowledged that a prison sentence was likely but urged the court to consider the probation report’s recommendations. Ultimately, Judge Adkin decided to suspend a nine-month prison sentence for two years, provided Taylor complies with certain conditions. These include attending 40 days of probation-led rehabilitation activities aimed at addressing his behavior.

Additionally, Taylor was ordered to observe a six-month home curfew from 7 pm to 7 am and was subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and a requirement to register as a sex offender for ten years. The judge warned Taylor that if he adheres to these conditions, the matter would be considered resolved after two years. However, any breach of the orders would result in an immediate return to court and the possibility of serving the original prison sentence in full.