LUKE OVINGTON CAUGHT IN DURHAM ONLINE SEXUAL OFFENSES AGAINST 13-YEAR-OLD GIRL

A man from Durham has been sentenced to prison after engaging in a disturbing online conversation with a 13-year-old girl, during which he offered her a sum of one thousand pounds in exchange for explicit images of herself in her underwear. This incident, which took place over a span of three days in September, led to serious legal repercussions for 28-year-old Luke Ovington.

Ovington’s actions constituted a clear breach of multiple court orders designed to prevent him from engaging in such behavior. Notably, he was already under a suspended prison sentence and subject to a ten-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) at the time of the offense. The court heard that in July of the previous year, Ovington had received a ten-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, after being convicted of similar online sexual exchanges with a 12-year-old girl.

Despite these restrictions, Ovington continued to engage in inappropriate online interactions. In November of the previous year, he had been found to have breached the order on minor occasions, which resulted in community orders. However, his latest offending proved to be the breaking point, leading to his arrest and subsequent sentencing.

During the court proceedings at Durham Crown Court, the prosecution detailed how Ovington, under the alias ‘Ryan,’ maintained contact with the young girl via Snapchat. The communication persisted for three days in September, during which he repeatedly sent sexualized messages despite the girl explicitly stating her age of 13. The prosecutor, Philip Morley, emphasized that this was not a staged sting operation but a real child being targeted, which made the case particularly serious.

Mr. Morley explained that Ovington had instructed the girl to keep their conversations secret from her parents and had asked her to send pictures. He also expressed his desire to meet her and suggested giving her a thousand pounds if she sent images of herself in her underwear. Additionally, he told her that he loved her, further complicating the case.

Authorities were alerted to the situation, and Ovington was arrested while in possession of his mobile phone. The device was seized for forensic examination, but it was revealed that he had deleted many of the incriminating messages. During police interviews, Ovington chose not to comment on the charges.

The court heard that Ovington’s breach of the SHPO was not limited to communication alone; he also violated the order by deleting messages and continuing contact with an underage girl. In addition to the online offenses, he admitted to possessing a small amount of cannabis at the time of his arrest.

In mitigation, Tony Davis, representing Ovington, referenced psychiatric and probation reports from the previous year, acknowledging the defendant’s history of mental health issues and substance use. Davis suggested that Ovington’s recent behavior might be a relapse into previous patterns, noting that his fascination with cannabis and online activity could lead to a cycle of reoffending and incarceration. He also pointed out that Ovington had been making efforts to use his time in custody constructively.

Judge Nathan Adams addressed Ovington directly, expressing disappointment and concern over his repeated breaches. The judge highlighted that despite being warned multiple times, Ovington continued to engage in illegal and harmful behavior, including discussing masturbation and attempting to solicit images from the young girl. The judge noted that Ovington had offered her a thousand pounds for the images and then claimed he would leave her alone, actions that clearly violated the purpose of the court orders.

Judge Adams sentenced Ovington to a total of 28 months in prison, which included six months activated from his previous suspended sentence. Furthermore, Ovington was ordered to adhere to a new ten-year SHPO and registration requirements, effective from the following Friday, December 13. The court also ordered the forfeiture of the seized cannabis and his mobile phone, emphasizing the seriousness of his offenses and the need for ongoing restrictions to protect the public, especially minors in Durham.