Locations
Bootham Crescent, Doncaster, DN7
Description
A Doncaster man has today (Tuesday 18 November) been jailed for child sex offences following an investigation by our Internet Sex Offences Team (ISOT).
Gary Hutton, 59, of Bootham Crescent, Doncaster, used an online messaging site to attempt to arrange sexual offences against a child.
On 25 February, Hutton engaged in conversation with a decoy account which he believed belonged to a woman who would enable him to sexually assault her child.
The account was actually being used by the Regional Organised Crime Unit to catch online predators.
ISOT arrested Hutton the following day and seized three mobile phones, two tablets, a laptop and a computer belonging to Hutton for digital examination.
Analysis of one of Hutton’s mobile phones uncovered a conversation with further profiles on the same online platform in which he discussed engaging in sexual abuse of the profile owner’s children.
Hutton was interviewed by officers on 26 February and again on the following day - he provided no comment to all questions at both interviews.
The next day, Hutton was charged with three counts of attempting to arrange or facilitate the commission of a child sex offence.
He initially pleaded not guilty to the charges on 28 March at Sheffield Crown Court, however on Thursday 11 September at the same court he changed his plea for two counts to guilty.
Hutton was remanded into custody and has today been sentenced to 10 years in prison, with an additional five on licence. He was also handed a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
Detective Constable Becky Straw, from the Online Sexual Offences team, said:
“Hutton’s offending is extremely disturbing, and I am relieved that he was caught before it had the opportunity to progress further.
“I am incredibly proud of our ISOT officers who carry out vital work behind the scenes to keep children in our community safe from those who would do them unconscionable harm.
“ISOT acted swiftly, arresting Hutton within 24 hours of him engaging with our decoy, and seizing his devices so that evidence into his disgusting offending could be preserved.
“Hutton is now safely behind bars, and ISOT are hard at work ensuring that other offenders like him are caught and brought to justice.”