SIMEONE KAZAO CAUGHT IN GLOUCESTER PAEDOPHILE STING BY LOCAL HUNTING GROUP
In January 2021, a man from Gloucester, identified as Simeone Kazao, was sentenced to 20 months in prison after being caught attempting to engage in a sexual encounter with a minor through a sting operation conducted by a paedophile hunting group.The incident unfolded when members of the 'Secretly Tackling On-line Predators' (STOP) group set up a decoy account posing as a 13-year-old girl to lure potential predators and expose their intentions.
According to the court proceedings at Gloucester Crown Court, Kazao, aged 43 and residing on Barnwood Road in Gloucester, initiated contact with the decoy account, which was operated by an adult undercover.
On January 30 of the previous year, he sent a friendship request to a profile named Billy-Ann Jones on Facebook.
When he was informed that the girl was only 13 years old, Kazao responded with a disturbing comment, saying, "That’s OK, you’re a lot younger than me." The conversation quickly turned sexual in nature, with Kazao persistently asking to meet up for sex.
The decoy, pretending to be a young girl, reminded him of her age and her inexperience, to which Kazao responded by assuring her he would teach her what to do.
He inquired about her location, and when she told him Gloucester, he revealed that he also lived in the city.
He then proceeded to describe in graphic detail what he intended to do to her, clearly indicating his perverted intentions.
On the following day, January 31, Kazao asked the girl to delete their previous conversations, claiming that talking to her had aroused him.
Over the next two days, he attempted to initiate a video call with her and even sent a graphic image of his genitals.
He further requested that she send a picture of her private parts, suggesting he would arrange for them to stay in a hotel together.
Kazao also sent an image of a man performing a sex act with a woman, labeling it as "Me and You," implying that this was what he envisioned for their encounter.
In addition to these explicit images, he provided his mobile phone number and continued to push for personal meetings despite her repeated refusals.
He also shared links to various adult websites, further demonstrating his intent.
On July 1, Kazao again offered to meet the girl, who reiterated her age of only 13.
He even suggested he would pay for her train fare, claiming she had recently moved away from Gloucester.
The entire exchange comprised extensive conversations, totaling 42 pages on Facebook Messenger and an additional 50 pages on WhatsApp.
The paedophile hunters' group acted swiftly; on July 11, shortly after 7 pm, they visited Kazao’s home, which is located on Cromwell Street, and detained him.
The police arrived shortly thereafter, seized his mobile phone, and took him into custody.
During police interviews, Kazao admitted to making contact with the decoy account.
He expressed suspicion that the girl was older than her claimed age, noting that she sounded much older than a 13-year-old.
Despite this, he acknowledged that the conversations contained sexual content, including sending explicit images and arranging to meet her.
He admitted to deriving sexual gratification from these actions.
Kazao pleaded guilty to charges that, on July 7, 2020, he attempted to incite a girl aged 13 to engage in sexual activity involving penetration.
He also admitted to attempting to incite her to engage in masturbation and to view sexual images for his own gratification between January 29 and July 8, 2020.
Judge Michael Cullum addressed Kazao during sentencing, emphasizing that although he had no prior sexual offences, his actions in this case were deeply unlawful and disturbing.
The judge highlighted the significant age difference of approximately 30 years between Kazao and his intended victim, and condemned his grooming behavior, which involved numerous messages aimed at developing an opportunity for abuse.
While noting that the victim was a decoy, the judge made it clear that such behavior is abhorrent and unlawful.
He stated that Kazao’s interest was solely in unlawful teenage activity and that he believed the girl was 13, which is still considered a child under the law.
The judge decided against suspending the sentence due to Kazao’s history of non-compliance with court orders.
As a result, Kazao was sentenced to 20 months in prison.
Additionally, he was subjected to a five-year sexual harm prevention order, required to register as a sex offender for the next ten years, and ordered to pay a victim surcharge.
This case underscores the ongoing efforts of law enforcement and community groups in Gloucester to combat online grooming and protect minors from exploitation.
