MARK WAGSTAFF FROM SWINDON SENTENCED FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT ON 13-YEAR-OLD AT ASDA CAR PARK
In September 2020, a disturbing case unfolded involving Mark Wagstaff, a man from Swindon, who was convicted of sexually assaulting a 13-year-old boy after they arranged to meet in an Asda car park.The incident, which took place in the vicinity of the Orbital shopping centre, has left a lasting scar on the young victim and has drawn significant attention to issues surrounding online grooming and exploitation.
According to court proceedings, Wagstaff, aged 52 at the time, had engaged in a series of inappropriate communications with the boy, who was just 13 years old.
The interactions began on Grindr, a popular gay dating app, in 2017.
Prosecutor Chris Smyth revealed that Wagstaff had initially met the boy on the app, where they exchanged sexually explicit messages.
These conversations later moved to WhatsApp, where Wagstaff saved the boy’s phone number under the alias “sexy,” indicating a clear intent to pursue a sexual relationship.
It was during their first meeting in November 2017 that Wagstaff picked up the boy from the Asda car park in Swindon.
The young boy, who had come out to his parents a year earlier, was lured into a secluded spot in the parking lot.
Wagstaff then undid his trousers and asked the boy, “are you going to start, then?” The boy complied and performed oral sex on Wagstaff.
Wagstaff initially believed the boy was an adult, but upon seeing his face, he inquired about his age.
The boy claimed to have a genetic condition that made him appear younger than his actual age.
Despite this, Wagstaff continued to pursue the boy, and a subsequent meeting occurred a few weeks later.
Wagstaff picked him up again from the same Asda car park and drove him to his flat in Highworth.
There, they engaged in sexual activity, with the boy performing a sex act on Wagstaff.
The entire encounter lasted approximately 15 minutes.
The communication between Wagstaff and the boy persisted into the beginning of the following year.
The illicit contact was eventually discovered when the boy’s mother noticed incriminating messages on her son’s phone.
She contacted the police, leading to Wagstaff’s arrest and subsequent court proceedings.
During the trial, it was established that Wagstaff was aware of the boy’s underage status.
The victim explicitly told Wagstaff he was 13 and still at school, but Wagstaff responded that it was “alright” and urged him not to tell anyone about their interactions.
In a victim impact statement, the young boy expressed the profound effect the incident had on his life, stating, “This has ruined my life more than I could ever have imagined.” His mother also provided a statement, describing how the events had caused significant strain on their family, which was further affected by the parents’ separation at the end of the previous year.
Wagstaff, of Church View, Highworth, pleaded guilty to charges of sexual activity with a child and inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.
The court sentenced him to four years and six months in prison.
Additionally, Judge Peter Crabtree imposed a lifelong sexual harm prevention order to restrict Wagstaff’s contact with underage boys and mandated that he register as a sex offender for the rest of his life, reflecting the seriousness of his crimes and the ongoing risk he poses to the community.
