PAEDOPHILE WHO TARGETED TWO CHILDREN ONLINE HAS BEEN JAILED FOR MORE THAN A DECADE
A child sex offender responsible for targeting two minors online has been sentenced to over ten years in prison.Northumbria Police’s POLIT unit, a specialised team dedicated to safeguarding vulnerable children, acted upon intelligence to apprehend Joshua MacFarlane in January 2024.
Following his arrest, he faced multiple charges, and at Newcastle Crown Court in April 2025, he admitted to two counts of engaging in sexual communication with a minor, two counts of inducing a child to observe a sexual act, and six counts of encouraging or forcing a child under the age of 13 to perform a sexual act.
Additionally, MacFarlane pleaded guilty to meeting another minor after grooming, encouraging a child to watch a sexual act, engaging in sexual activity with a minor, paying for sexual services involving a child, distributing three indecent images of a child, and creating indecent photographs of a child.
The 20-year-old from Coquet Avenue, South Shields, was also sentenced for violating multiple conditions of an interim Sexual Risk Order.
During the court hearing on Wednesday, he received a sentence of 10 years and four months imprisonment, with an additional four years on licence.
MacFarlane will also remain on the Sex Offenders’ Register indefinitely.
