KEITH WHITBY FROM MILTON CAUGHT IN ONLINE SEXUAL PREDATOR STING IN STOKE-ON-TRENT

In July 2016, Keith Whitby, a 56-year-old resident of Milton, found himself at the center of a serious criminal investigation after being caught in an online sting operation conducted by a vigilant 'paedophile hunter'. The operation was designed to identify and apprehend individuals attempting to engage in sexual activities with minors through digital communication channels.

Whitby was lured into a conversation by an individual posing as a teenage girl, who used the alias 'Sarah' and a fabricated profile picture of a young girl sourced from Instagram. Over the course of several weeks, the fake profile engaged in increasingly explicit exchanges with Whitby, encouraging him to touch himself sexually. The messages, which began in October, included discussions about the age of the girl, who was falsely claimed to be 14 years old, and hinted at a potential meeting, raising serious concerns about Whitby's intentions.

According to prosecutor Neil Ahuja, the man behind the profile set up the false account specifically to target men like Whitby, who appeared to be seeking sexual encounters with minors. The conversation escalated to a point where Whitby was told the girl was only 14, yet he continued to engage in sexualized dialogue. The messages also suggested an arrangement to meet in person, which prompted the authorities to intervene.

Following the online exchanges, the police were alerted, and Whitby was subsequently interviewed on December 23. During the interview, he claimed that he usually talked to women aged 18 and over but admitted to having spoken to under-18s on two occasions. He insisted that he would never have gone through with a meeting with the supposed minor.

Whitby, who resides on Norton Street in Milton, pleaded guilty to charges of attempting to cause or incite a child to engage in sexual activity. His legal representative, Jason Holt, highlighted that it was unclear whether the individual posing as Sarah had incited Whitby or merely engaged in a conversation. Holt also noted that Whitby has no previous convictions, but the case has had a profound personal impact, including the loss of his 30-year marriage and the potential loss of his employment.

At Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court, Judge David Fletcher sentenced Whitby to a three-year community order. The sentence includes mandatory participation in a sex offenders’ rehabilitation program and ten sessions of a specified activity requirement. Additionally, Whitby was ordered to register as a sex offender for five years and was subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for the same duration. The judge emphasized the foolishness of Whitby’s actions, warning about how easily individuals can be drawn into dangerous online behaviors. Whitby was also ordered to pay costs amounting to £250.