'Very high risk' paedophile used hidden devices to groom 12-year-old
A "very high risk" sex offender, Paul Weekley, was snared by police after he groomed a 12 year-old girl online who turned out to be an undercover officer. - Credit: Norfolk Constabulary
A "very high risk" sex offender was snared by police after he groomed a 12 year-old girl online who turned out to be an undercover officer.
Paul Weekley, 61, breached a court order by using hidden devices to have secret online sex chats with the girl he believed to be a 12-year-old called Becca, Norwich Crown Court heard.
Claire Matthews, prosecuting, said Weekley was already on the sex offenders register for previous convictions for possessing indecent images of children, and under the order his online use was meant to be able to be checked.
He had also moved to an address in Salisbury Road, Great Yarmouth, without informing authorities of his new address.
She said Weekley engaged in sexual conversations with Becca and also sent her explicit live webcam images of himself and asked if he could visit her.
Ms Matthews said when arrested in March, Weekley was found to have downloaded nine indecent images of children.
Weekley admitted attempting to engage in sexual communication with a 12-year-old, attempting to engage in sexual activity in front of a child and attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity.
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He also admitted possession of indecent images and breaching his sexual harm prevention order.
Jailing him for three years and four months, Judge Andrew Shaw said Weekley was a "troubling individual" as he had been given a range of orders in the past to help him, but nothing had worked.
"It is only a matter of time before you seek out a child in person and cause substantial harm to that child by committing a serious sexual offence."
He said Weekley had ignored his court order, and had used social media to make contact with someone he thought was 12, but in fact was an undercover police officer.
He warned Weekley that his sentences were only going to get longer unless he stopped offending, adding: "You are a very high risk individual."
He also placed Weekley on the sex offenders register for life.
Rob Pollington, for Weekley, said that he was genuinely remorseful: "He needs help and is asking for help."
