Darren Warner 49

Description

A predator who prowled online chatrooms sent explicit images to a ‘girl’ before arranging for them to have sex.

Darren Warner struck up a conversation with 13-year-old ‘Maisie’, who was a police officer posing as a teen.

The pair quickly moved from an online chat forum to Kik, where the girl revealed her age to Warner.

Plans were made for them to meet “in a public park or car park in Southampton” to have sex at the end of May 2024 but the plug was pulled by Warner, Southampton Crown Court heard.

Prosecuting, Lucy Taylor said: “Communication between the defendant and the ‘girl’ including them agreeing to have sex, with Warner asking what she would wear and where it would happen.

“The pair also spoke about having different kinds of sex together.

“A discussion was had about them meeting at the end of May, but Warner said his car had broken down so he could no longer meet.”

The court heard how the 49-year-old sent two explicit images to the ‘girl’ and encouraged her to carry out sexual acts on herself.

Warner was arrested by police on June 1, 2024, two days after he was due to meet the ‘girl’ for sex.

Mitigating, Keely Harvey said the severity of his actions hit home months before he was charged.

“Mr Warner contacted two organisations to help rehabilitate him in September 2024, three months before he was charged”, she said.

“He had that sudden realisation that it was wrong, and he stopped himself.

“He is determined to make sure this never happens again and has demonstrated that he can be rehabilitated.”

Warner, of Fairfield Road, Salisbury, pleaded guilty to a charge of arranging or facilitating sexual activity with a child involving penetration, intentionally causing a child to look at an image of a person engaging in sexual activity, and a charge of attempted to cause or incite a child to engage in sexual activity.

He also admitted a charge of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child.

Judge Nigel Peters KC described Warner’s approach as “exceptional” as he “accepted the behaviour was wrong”.

“I have never come across a case where a defendant has paid, more than £700, for some rehabilitation prior to being charged."

Warner was handed a two-year sentence suspended for two years.

He must complete 26 sessions with probation and five rehabilitation activity days, pay £150 costs and is on the sex offenders’ register for ten years.