TREVOR JACKSON JAILED FOR SEXUAL OFFENSES IN JESMOND AND NEWCASTLE

In February 2010, Trevor Jackson, a university lecturer from Jesmond, Newcastle, was sentenced to prison after being found guilty of engaging in sexual activities with a 13-year-old girl. The case revealed a disturbing pattern of grooming and exploitation carried out by Jackson, who was 47 years old at the time.

Jackson, a biomedicine expert and senior lecturer at Newcastle University, admitted to using the internet as a tool to groom the young girl, who was only 13 years old. The court heard that he arranged clandestine meetings with her in a hotel located in Jersey, near her home in the Channel Islands. The criminal activities spanned from September 2005 to February 2006, but the full extent of his misconduct only came to light years later.

The discovery was made when the girl confided in her mother through a letter, revealing the details of her interactions with Jackson. Following this revelation, police conducted a raid on Jackson’s residence and workplace at Newcastle University. During the search, authorities uncovered various incriminating materials, including some of the girl’s underwear, along with images and videos of child pornography stored on his computer.

Jackson faced multiple charges, including five counts of meeting a child following sexual grooming, five counts of engaging in sexual activity with a minor, two counts of producing indecent photographs of a child, and three counts of possessing such photographs. He pleaded guilty to all charges, which led to his conviction.

The court was informed that Jackson had met the girl through an online chatroom dedicated to adults seeking sexual contact. Prosecutor James Adkin explained that Jackson was “excited by the risk of the pursuit,” indicating a disturbing thrill derived from his actions. The court also learned that Jackson and the girl exchanged pictures, emails, and used instant messaging services before meeting in person at The Grand Hotel in Jersey to carry out their illicit encounter.

During the hearing, Jackson’s defense attorney, Tony Hawks, described his client as a troubled man who had “laid waste” to a promising academic career. Hawks expressed remorse on Jackson’s behalf, emphasizing that he was not a wicked or inherently malicious individual but someone with a serious problem. He highlighted that Jackson had previously been well-respected in his field and that his actions had caused significant damage to his reputation.

Judge Tony Lancaster sentenced Jackson to four years and nine months in prison. In his remarks, the judge condemned Jackson’s “longstanding, unhealthy, and perverted interest in teenage girls.” He acknowledged that although the girl was willing, she was very young and confused, making her vulnerable to manipulation. The judge also pointed out the dangers posed by unsupervised internet chatrooms, which facilitate easy access for predators to contact and seduce minors who might otherwise have no interest in such interactions.

Furthermore, Judge Lancaster ordered Jackson to register as a sex offender for life, emphasizing the grave consequences of his actions. He stated, “You have a wholly perverted interest in young girls, and the consequences have been grave.”

Jackson, who became a senior lecturer at Newcastle University in 2002 and led a laboratory investigating cancer cells, was involved in significant national research on the disease. His career, once highly regarded, has now been effectively ended by his criminal conduct, which has cast a long shadow over his professional and personal life.