MARK NEEDHAM FROM SKELMERSDALE SENTENCED AFTER PREDATORY PLOT AT LIVERPOOL STATION
| Red Rose Database
Skelmersdale Child Sexual Abuser
In a disturbing case that highlights the ongoing threat posed by online predators, Mark Needham, a 34-year-old man from Windrows, Skelmersdale, was brought to justice after attempting to engage in a sexual encounter with a supposed 14-year-old girl. The incident unfolded in the context of a sting operation conducted by a paedophile hunter group, which successfully ensnared Needham in a trap designed to protect children from exploitation.
Needham had been communicating extensively with what he believed was a teenage girl on an adult chat platform called "Hi." During these exchanges, he sent explicit photographs and videos of himself, revealing a disturbing desire to have sex with a schoolgirl. In his messages, he explicitly expressed his preference for the girl to wear a short skirt, claiming it would make it easier to access her underwear, and he even detailed plans to meet her in a McDonald's toilet for sexual activity.
Unbeknownst to Needham, the girl he was chatting with was not a minor but a member of the paedophile hunter group known as "N-force for Justice." The group had set up a fake profile under the name Darcy, claiming to be a 14-year-old girl still attending school. As the conversations grew more sexual, Needham continued to escalate his requests, including asking her to perform sexual acts on herself and suggesting a threesome when told she was with a friend. He also sent pornographic videos and explicit images of his genitalia.
Needham had initially arranged to meet the girl on October 8 but later claimed he had changed his mind due to her age. However, the group kept the operation active, and on December 12, they informed him that the girl was coming to Liverpool for the day. Needham agreed to meet her at Liverpool Lime Street Station, openly discussing his intentions, which included a crude comment about having sex with her in a McDonald's toilet.
Members of the hunter group, posing as the girl, met Needham at the station. As he approached, he was greeted with a hug by a woman pretending to be Darcy. The group then detained him and contacted the police. During questioning, Needham admitted that he had planned to talk to her and take her to a hotel, even asking her to wear a short dress to facilitate access to her underwear. He also confessed that he had no excuse for his actions.
In police interviews, Needham revealed that he used chatrooms to communicate with women and admitted to enjoying explicit conversations, stating that his interest was more in the fantasy of uniforms rather than the age of the girl. His offending behavior was committed between November 24, 2017, and December 11 of the same year.
Judge David Aubrey, QC, expressed frustration over the lengthy delay in bringing the case to court, questioning why it took so long after Needham’s admission of guilt during police interviews. The prosecution noted that various requests had been made to expedite proceedings, but these had not been fully necessary. Needham was formally charged in January of this year.
Although Needham had prior convictions, they were not of a sexual nature, and he had been trouble-free since 2013. He pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including attempting to incite a girl into sexual activity, grooming a girl under 16, engaging in sexual communication with a child, and attempting to cause a child to view sexual images.
Despite the mitigating circumstances, Judge Aubrey emphasized that the severity of the offenses warranted a custodial sentence. Originally, a three-year term was considered, but it was reduced to two years due to his guilty plea and further reduced by one year because of the delay in proceedings. Consequently, Needham was sentenced to one year in prison. He was also ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register for ten years and to comply with a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for the same duration.
In his remarks, Judge Aubrey condemned the delay in the case, describing it as "more than unsatisfactory, it was unnecessary," and noted that, had it not been for the delay, the sentence would have been significantly longer. The case underscores the importance of swift justice in protecting vulnerable children from online predators and highlights the ongoing risks posed by individuals like Mark Needham.
Needham had been communicating extensively with what he believed was a teenage girl on an adult chat platform called "Hi." During these exchanges, he sent explicit photographs and videos of himself, revealing a disturbing desire to have sex with a schoolgirl. In his messages, he explicitly expressed his preference for the girl to wear a short skirt, claiming it would make it easier to access her underwear, and he even detailed plans to meet her in a McDonald's toilet for sexual activity.
Unbeknownst to Needham, the girl he was chatting with was not a minor but a member of the paedophile hunter group known as "N-force for Justice." The group had set up a fake profile under the name Darcy, claiming to be a 14-year-old girl still attending school. As the conversations grew more sexual, Needham continued to escalate his requests, including asking her to perform sexual acts on herself and suggesting a threesome when told she was with a friend. He also sent pornographic videos and explicit images of his genitalia.
Needham had initially arranged to meet the girl on October 8 but later claimed he had changed his mind due to her age. However, the group kept the operation active, and on December 12, they informed him that the girl was coming to Liverpool for the day. Needham agreed to meet her at Liverpool Lime Street Station, openly discussing his intentions, which included a crude comment about having sex with her in a McDonald's toilet.
Members of the hunter group, posing as the girl, met Needham at the station. As he approached, he was greeted with a hug by a woman pretending to be Darcy. The group then detained him and contacted the police. During questioning, Needham admitted that he had planned to talk to her and take her to a hotel, even asking her to wear a short dress to facilitate access to her underwear. He also confessed that he had no excuse for his actions.
In police interviews, Needham revealed that he used chatrooms to communicate with women and admitted to enjoying explicit conversations, stating that his interest was more in the fantasy of uniforms rather than the age of the girl. His offending behavior was committed between November 24, 2017, and December 11 of the same year.
Judge David Aubrey, QC, expressed frustration over the lengthy delay in bringing the case to court, questioning why it took so long after Needham’s admission of guilt during police interviews. The prosecution noted that various requests had been made to expedite proceedings, but these had not been fully necessary. Needham was formally charged in January of this year.
Although Needham had prior convictions, they were not of a sexual nature, and he had been trouble-free since 2013. He pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including attempting to incite a girl into sexual activity, grooming a girl under 16, engaging in sexual communication with a child, and attempting to cause a child to view sexual images.
Despite the mitigating circumstances, Judge Aubrey emphasized that the severity of the offenses warranted a custodial sentence. Originally, a three-year term was considered, but it was reduced to two years due to his guilty plea and further reduced by one year because of the delay in proceedings. Consequently, Needham was sentenced to one year in prison. He was also ordered to sign the Sex Offenders Register for ten years and to comply with a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for the same duration.
In his remarks, Judge Aubrey condemned the delay in the case, describing it as "more than unsatisfactory, it was unnecessary," and noted that, had it not been for the delay, the sentence would have been significantly longer. The case underscores the importance of swift justice in protecting vulnerable children from online predators and highlights the ongoing risks posed by individuals like Mark Needham.