LUCIEN COOPER AND SHOCKING CHILD EXPLOITATION IN DURHAM AND WEST AUKLAND
A man from West Auckland, named Lucien Cooper, has been convicted of engaging in sexually explicit online chats with what he believed was a 13-year-old girl, in a case that has shocked the Durham community and beyond.The court proceedings revealed that Cooper initially initiated contact through the Kik messaging application on February 9 of the previous year.
After a few days of conversation, the communication was transferred to Skype, where Cooper was soon made aware that his conversation partner claimed to be only 13 years old.
The Durham Crown Court heard that the chat started out politely but quickly took on a more inappropriate tone as the days progressed.
Over a span of twenty days, from February 9 to March 1, 2022, the nature of the messaging deteriorated into suggestive content.
Cooper expressed a desire to see photographs, and he made disturbing statements about teaching the girl how to kiss and touch herself.
He also spoke of a leash he could walk her with, implying that it would be amusing to treat her 'like a dog.' These comments demonstrated a concerning level of predatory behavior.
The conversations ceased on March 1, after Cooper inquired whether the girl watched pornography.
He then told her he would stop communicating with her as he was preparing for a job interview.
However, police had already taken note of the case and took swift action.
On March 9, law enforcement officers from Durham visited Cooper’s residence and arrested him.
During the search, they recovered his mobile phone, which was hidden beneath a mattress.
An examination of Cooper’s phone revealed multiple indecent and illegal images of children.
Prosecutor Jonathan Harley confirmed that Cooper, aged 33 and residing at Mill Race, West Auckland, had confessed fully to his online activities when questioned by police.
The defendant has no prior criminal record.
Cooper pleaded guilty to several serious charges, including attempting to incite a girl aged between 13 and 15 to engage in sexual acts, and attempting to communicate sexually with a child.
He also admitted to three counts of downloading indecent images of children and possessing prohibited images.
During the hearing, solicitor Stephen Hamill highlighted Cooper’s early cooperation with authorities, stating that his client had been forthcoming from the beginning of the investigation.
Hamill emphasized that Cooper had sought medical and psychological help independently, which he believed was beneficial in addressing his problematic behaviors.
Judge James Adkin addressed the court, describing Cooper’s actions as grooming a minor for his own sexual gratification.
The judge remarked that Cooper’s belief that he was talking to a 13-year-old girl was central to the case, and noted that current sentencing guidelines recommend minimal reduction in punishment when a defendant is mistaken about the victim’s age.
The judge also condemned the images found on Cooper’s device, describing them as 'utterly repellent,' involving children being sexually abused by adults.
As a result, Cooper was sentenced to 25 months in prison.
Furthermore, he was ordered to register as a sex offender and was subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for a period of ten years.
These measures are intended to monitor and prevent future offenses, reflecting the severity of the crimes committed and the court’s commitment to protecting vulnerable children.
