WAYNE DUNN FROM SCARBOROUGH SENTENCED TO FOUR YEARS FOR ONLINE CHILD SEX OFFENCES
In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Scarborough, Wayne Dunn, aged 53, has been sentenced to four years in prison after being convicted of attempting to incite a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity.The conviction followed an undercover police operation that uncovered his online predatory behavior.
It was in July 2021 that authorities took action after Dunn was caught communicating with what he believed was a like-minded individual on the KIK messenger app, using an encrypted email service.
In reality, the person he was chatting with was an undercover police officer operating under the pseudonym ‘Dave’.
The officer had fabricated a scenario claiming to have two young daughters, aged six and ten, who were living with him.
This setup was part of an undercover operation aimed at exposing individuals seeking to exploit children online.
Prosecutor Soheil Khan explained to York Crown Court that Dunn expressed a disturbing interest in the fictional children, describing in grotesque detail what he would like to do to them.
The conversations, which took place between October 2020 and May 2021, included vile messages where Dunn was encouraged to ask the ‘father’ (the officer) if his daughters “wanted to have some fun” and to send pictures of the children.
Shockingly, images of the fictitious girls were sent to Dunn, who responded with clear excitement and expressed a desire to meet them “for real” and stated he “couldn’t wait” to do so.
Following the investigation, police officers executed a search warrant at Dunn’s residence in Eastfield on June 10.
During the raid, they seized a Samsung mobile phone that had access to the KIK app.
When questioned, Dunn claimed that the messages and images exchanged were merely “a bit of fantasy and role play” that he found “sexually gratifying.” He also admitted that he “did not discriminate” when it came to the ages of children he found sexually attractive.
He was formally charged with attempting to cause or incite a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity and attempting to engage in sexual activity in the presence of a child.
Dunn pleaded guilty to both charges and appeared via video link for sentencing.
The court was informed that Dunn, a grandfather, had a long history of criminal behavior, with 13 previous convictions dating back to the early 1980s.
Notably, he was jailed in 2017 for possessing and distributing indecent images of children.
His past offenses also include violence, burglary, theft, and breaching a sexual-harm prevention order designed to prevent him from contacting children online or in person.
Judge Simon Hickey described Dunn as “dangerous” and characterized his recent offenses as “disturbing” and “shocking.” The judge emphasized the seriousness of the case, stating, “These were extremely worrying, revolting messages.” He further remarked that Dunn was aware that the fictional girls were only six and ten years old and that he would have continued to abuse them if given the opportunity.
In light of the severity of his actions, Judge Hickey sentenced Dunn to four years in prison, with an additional three-year extended license period to ensure public protection.
Furthermore, a new sexual-harm prevention order was imposed, which will remain in effect indefinitely.
Dunn was also placed on the sex offenders’ register for life, marking the culmination of a case that highlights the ongoing threat posed by individuals with a history of sexual offenses against children.
