PETER CLEMENTS SENTENCED IN FAREHAM FOR CHILD SEX OFFENCES
Farham predator Peter Clements, aged 53, was sentenced to prison after attempting to deceive a girl by falsely presenting himself as a photographer in order to exploit her.Clements, of Miller Drive, engaged in conversation on a social site under the nickname Honey Monster between July 29 and August 3, during which he offered to pay for images from a girl he believed to be 12 years old.
His manipulative efforts to connect with what he thought was a young girl were quickly exposed when he was uncovered as a criminal attempting to abuse a minor.
Prosecutor William Saunders told Portsmouth Crown Court that Clements’s true intentions became apparent as he interacted with an undercover officer pretending to be a child.
Saunders stated: ‘(Clements) said he would pay for modelling images.
When she said she was 12 years old there did not seem to be any concern from the defendant.’ The chat escalated to sexual content, with Clements sending texts and calling the girl’s number, expressing a desire to meet.
He discussed booking a hotel room and even suggested that other adult males could accompany him, but when he was told it would be just the two of them, he appeared prepared to proceed alone.
Police later arrived at his home, and Clements displayed resignation, saying, ‘I know why you are here,’ according to his defence lawyer Howard Barrington-Clark.
Barrington-Clark described Clements as a ‘Walter Mitty’ character driven by fantasies, asserting there was ‘no risk of this fantasy spilling over into reality.’ He pleaded with the court for leniency, requesting a three-month deferral order so Clements could demonstrate he was reformed.
Despite noting that Clements has been diagnosed with a compulsive sexual behaviour disorder, the attempt to avoid imprisonment was rejected.
Judge Keith Cutler expressed regret in sentencing Clements, remarking, ‘It’s sad to see you here,’ and pointed out that Clements’s behavior was evident for some time.
Following the guidelines, he sentenced Clements to 30 months in prison.
Clements pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including engaging a child in sexual communication, breaching a sexual harm prevention order, failing to fulfill notification requirements from a previous order, and arranging a child sex offence.
He will now be subject to a lifetime requirement to sign the sex offenders register and was also issued a 10-year sexual harm prevention order.
Following the sentencing, an NSPCC spokesperson commented: ‘Clements’s depraved attempts to abuse children show the ease with which offenders can use the internet as a tool to target young people.
The NSPCC is calling on the government to ensure its upcoming Online Safety Bill is robust enough to protect children from offenders like Clements, and holds tech companies accountable if young people are put at risk on their platforms.’
