SEAN KILLIAN FROM WALSALL SENTENCED FOR GROOMING AND TRAVELING 200 MILES TO MEET UNDERAGE GIRL
In August 2019, Sean Killian, a 48-year-old man from Walsall, was brought before the court to face serious charges related to online grooming and breaches of a sexual harm prevention order.Killian had previously served a two-year prison sentence in 2017 after being caught by the paedophile hunting group 'Dark Justice'.
Despite his prior conviction, he returned to online platforms with the intent of grooming a young girl, which ultimately led to his arrest and conviction.
During the court proceedings, Killian admitted to attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, as well as two counts of breaching a sexual harm prevention order that was still in effect.
The court was informed that Killian had contacted a profile he believed belonged to an 11-year-old girl.
Over a series of messages, he sent highly explicit and sexual content, clearly aiming to persuade the child into sexual activity.
However, it was revealed that the profile was not genuine; it was operated by members of the paedophile hunting team ‘Scorpion Hunters UK’, who pose online as children to catch predators.
The evidence collected by the ‘Scorpion Hunters UK’ team was handed over to the police, leading to Killian’s swift arrest.
The judge sentenced him to 27 weeks in prison.
Additionally, Killian was reminded that he was still subject to a sexual harm prevention order and sex offender registration, both of which were set to be extended by an additional ten years, further restricting his ability to reoffend.
In a separate incident in July 2017, Killian traveled nearly 200 miles from Walsall to Gateshead, believing he was going to meet a 13-year-old girl with whom he had been communicating online.
He thought he was sharing a hotel room with her, but in reality, he was being monitored by paedophile hunters from ‘Dark Justice’.
The group had set up the fake profile to catch him in the act of attempting to meet a minor for sexual purposes.
Newcastle Crown Court heard that Killian had befriended the fake profile just months after he was released from custody in Wolverhampton, where he had been convicted of similar offences involving online chats with someone he believed was a child, but who was actually an undercover police officer.
Despite being under supervision, Killian continued to engage in inappropriate and illegal online behavior, saying the right things but doing the opposite.
During his online conversations with the fake 13-year-old, Killian expressed a desire to 'treat her like a Princess' and sent her multiple sexually explicit images, including photographs of his penis, as well as images of underwear he wished to see her wear.
He also requested photographs of her in a school uniform.
In December of the previous year, Killian booked a hotel in Gateshead for himself and the girl, and then traveled the 192 miles from Walsall to meet her.
When he arrived at the hotel, police officers, who had been alerted to his plans, were waiting to arrest him.
Prosecutor Kevin Wardlaw detailed the events to the court, emphasizing that Killian’s journey was a clear attempt to meet and engage in sexual activity with a minor.
Killian admitted to breaching the sexual harm prevention order, attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual acts, and attempting to meet a child for sexual purposes.
Judge Amanda Rippon sentenced Killian to two years in prison and ordered him to sign the sex offender register for ten years.
She stated, 'You traveled to meet her.
You booked a hotel room in Gateshead, which was 192 miles from where you lived.
You traveled that distance in order to meet a girl.
You had booked a room with a double bed and communicated that to her.
You told her you would bring underwear for her to wear.
When you arrived at the hotel, the police were waiting for you and you were arrested.
I am entirely satisfied your intention was to meet a child and have sexual activity with that child.
You believed you were chatting to a child; you did not know you were not.'
