Anthony Peters

Anthony Peters, a 52-year-old former resident of Chester, appeared at Chester Magistrates Court on Tuesday for sentencing after pleading guilty to two charges: distributing and possessing a single category C image of a child. The offences occurred on December 5, 2023, when Peters engaged in online communication that revealed his intent to meet and abuse a child.

Prosecutor Charlotte Brookes detailed that on January 30, 2023, Peters was conversing online from a property in Stanley Park Drive, Chester, with what he believed to be another paedophile. In reality, he was interacting with an undercover police officer. During the exchange, Peters made explicit plans to abuse the officer's supposed child but later withdrew, insisting it was merely a fantasy. He also shared the indecent image to illustrate his sexual interests, leading to his eventual arrest. Brookes noted that Peters had a prior conviction for child sexual abuse offences.

Peters entered a guilty plea at his first court appearance, and the prosecution applied for a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO). In defence, Natalie Harrop highlighted Peters' early guilty plea, his acceptance of responsibility, and his understanding of the seriousness of his actions. She referenced a pre-sentence report indicating a low risk of reoffending and mentioned that Peters had sought help from a private psychiatrist for his mental health issues. Harrop argued that while the custody threshold was met, the circumstances warranted a suspended sentence.

The magistrates agreed, stating: "You’ve pleaded guilty to these two charges and you have a previous conviction for similar offences. To put you out of your misery, you’re not going to prison today but we feel strongly that it has crossed the custodial threshold." They imposed a 12-week prison sentence, reduced from 18 weeks due to the guilty plea, suspended for 18 months. Additional requirements included 20 days of rehabilitation activity and completion of the Building Choices programme. A new seven-year SHPO was granted, along with a £154 court surcharge and £85 in prosecution costs.

The case was heard at Chester Magistrates Court, with reporting by Barrie White for the Chester and District Standard. This incident underscores ongoing efforts to combat online child sexual exploitation in the UK.