August 2023 Girlfriend proposes to paedophile as he is jailed for trying to arrange sex with child The girlfriend of a paedophile jailed for arranging sex with what he believed to be a 14-year-old girl shouted “will you marry me? as he was taken down to the cells. Mark Owen, 53, who was caught in a sting by a group of self-style paedophile hunters, was been jailed for 22 months, having previously admitted to three charges of sexual communication, grooming, and inciting sexual activity. As the sentence was delivered at Harrow Crown Court on June 27, Vicky Owen shouted: “Baby I love you, will you marry me?”, prompting Judge John Lodge to peer over his glasses, at which point she apologised for interrupting. Owen responded: “Will do” as he was let away. Paedophile hunter group COBRA UK previously passed messages to the Metropolitan Police showing Owen had contacted a 14-year-old decoy over a period of five days in 2022. Prosecutor Dipan Varsani said Owen, of Brentfield House, Stonebridge, sent the decoy, referred to as Jessika, obscene pictures of himself and asked her to send one back of her in the shower. The court also was also read incriminating texts during which Owen wrote he wanted to ‘make love’ to the girl and asked her to wear a short skirt when they met. Mr Varsani said: “We know [the planned meeting] was to ‘make love’ and touch her in between the legs. And asking her to wear a mini-skirt so when they met he could put his hand up her skirt.” Mr Varsani added: “He also sent inappropriate messages, all the whilst thinking and knowing it was a 14-year-old.” Owen had already spent nearly five months in custody when he appeared arms crossed in a grey tracksuit before the court. Judge Lodge explained the most serious count of inciting sexual activity fell into a lower category of harm because it “wasn’t clear” full penetrative sex was going to take place, and the use of a decoy gives a small discount as Jessika was “not a real child”. Judge Lodge sentenced Owen to 22 months in prison for inciting sexual activity with a child, and six months each for sexual communication and grooming