JORDAN PARTON SENTENCED IN CARDIFF FOR SEXUAL OFFENCES AND ONLINE GROOMING
Jordan Parton, 22, created a fake persona while chatting with his victims on social media, ultimately coercing them into taking indecent photographs.Parton, a professional entertainer with aspirations of becoming the "next Penn and Teller," used these images to threaten the teenagers.
During the court hearing, one victim pleaded with him not to post her images online, to which Parton responded, "OK, I won’t post them as long as you do what I say." Another girl remarked, "He said he was 15 and he appeared to be funny." Parton was the youngest member of the Cardiff Magic Society at age 14, performing tricks for passersby, and was also known as a juggler and balloon artist under the name Crazy Clown Balloons.
However, prosecutor John Ryan revealed that behind his public persona, Parton kept a secret: hoarding up to 1,000 indecent images of young girls in sexual poses.
Mr.
Ryan stated, "He was grooming his victims over Snapchat." The defendant was using coercion and threats to force the girls into providing indecent images of themselves.
In February 2020, police raided Parton’s house during an investigation unrelated to this case.
Electronic devices recovered during the search uncovered that he had filmed the girls performing sex acts, threatening to send the images to their parents.
Mr.
Ryan explained, "He told one victim he would publish the images all over the internet and show them to her parents." The girl felt pressured and blackmailed.
Parton, of Newport, Gwent, admitted to causing or inciting girls to engage in sexual activities and to communicate sex-related content with them.
He also pleaded guilty to possessing category A, B, and C indecent images of children from September 2019 to January 2020.
Stuart John, defending, stated, "His parents have been shocked that their son has committed such serious offences.
He is immature, even for his age of 22.
The defendant was bullied as a teenager.
He does understand the wide-ranging impact on his victims and their families." Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke described the severity of his actions, saying, "You were recording the sexual abuse as it was happening.
You were coercing and threatening young girls to provide you with images.
Some victims were willing to cooperate with police and give evidence, while others were too upset or embarrassed to do so." Jordan Parton was sentenced to 11 years in prison for his disturbing crimes and is required to register as a sex offender for life.
