SOUTHAMPTON PAEDOPHILE STEVEN KING CAUGHT IN POLICE STING AT WATERLOO

On November 26, 2011, a disturbing case involving a paedophile from Southampton came to light, highlighting the ongoing efforts of law enforcement to combat child exploitation. Steven King, a 30-year-old man employed in the accounts department of a solicitors' office, was apprehended after engaging in a covert online operation orchestrated by police authorities.

King had traveled approximately two hours from his residence in Southampton to London, under the false pretense of meeting children for sexual abuse. Unbeknownst to him, he was communicating with an undercover police officer posing as a parent of three young children aged five, six, and ten. During these online exchanges, King revealed disturbing intentions and past experiences, including a confession that he had previously raped a 13-year-old boy, whom he claimed was actually 14 at the time.

In a particularly chilling message sent on July 19, King stated, “any age, younger the better,” indicating his willingness to abuse children of various ages. He also expressed his readiness to travel the 80 miles from Southampton to London to meet the supposed children, demonstrating a clear intent to carry out his malicious plans. The police arranged a meeting at Waterloo Station on July 27, where King was caught in the act of discussing his desire to abuse a five-year-old boy and a six-year-old girl.

Following this initial encounter, a second meeting was set up, with King believing he would be taken to the undercover officer’s home to carry out the abuse. However, law enforcement intervened on August 2, arresting King at the scene. During police interviews, he admitted that he had lied about previous child abuse and confirmed his intent to visit the officer’s residence to sexually assault the children.

Further investigation revealed that King was in possession of flavoured condoms and toys intended for children at the time of his arrest. Authorities also seized multiple electronic devices from his home, including a laptop, USB stick, and external hard drives, which contained indecent images of children. These items provided further evidence of his criminal activities and intent.

King, a resident of Southampton, Hampshire, was subsequently charged and sentenced to four years in prison after pleading guilty to charges of arranging child sex offences and possessing indecent images. The case was heard at Southwark Crown Court, where the severity of his actions was underscored.

Commenting on the case, Detective Chief Superintendent Reg Hooke, head of the Metropolitan Police Service’s Child Abuse Investigation Command, emphasized the importance of such operations. He stated, “The plotting of child abuse over the internet is a sickening crime and one that poses a serious and ongoing threat. Officers from the Met’s Paedophile Unit conduct operations, such as the one that caught King, on a weekly basis. Luckily, this time, King’s appalling intentions remained just that. The result reflects the Met’s continued commitment to fighting child abuse in all its forms.”