Jonathan Paton

Jonathan Paton, then 31 years old, initiated contact with a teenage schoolgirl online via Snapchat in summer 2020, falsely presenting himself as a 20-year-old named 'Jonny'. He arranged a meeting and persuaded the vulnerable girl to visit his residence in Chester-le-Street, County Durham, where he engaged in sexual activity with her without her full consent.

Over the following several months, Paton continued to have sexual relations with the teenager, making disturbing statements such as telling her she 'should have his baby' once she turned 16. The girl, aware of the non-consensual nature of multiple encounters, courageously reported the incidents to the police, alleging rape.

Following her disclosure, Paton attempted to cover his tracks by deleting messages and blocking her on Snapchat. When detained by Durham Constabulary and questioned, he denied the rape allegations and any sexual contact, claiming ignorance of her age. However, text messages recovered from his mobile device provided irrefutable evidence supporting the victim's account, revealing that Paton was fully aware of her status as a child and exploited her vulnerability for his own gratification.

Paton, now 36, was charged with rape of a child, four counts of sexual activity with a child, and grooming. He stood trial at Newcastle Crown Court, where a jury found him guilty on all counts. On Wednesday, 29 November 2025, he was sentenced to 13 years' imprisonment. In addition to the custodial sentence, Paton was placed on the sex offenders register for life, issued with an indefinite restraining order, and a sexual harm prevention order.

Detective Constable Liam Padget from Durham Constabulary's online child abuse investigation team commented on the case, stating: 'Paton continuously told us how he had met the victim but nothing sexual had ever happened. He also claimed he did not know how old the victim was however this was overturned when officers uncovered his messages back and forth with her.' Padget further emphasised: 'Paton knew that the victim was a child and was therefore vulnerable, but he continued to sexually abuse her for his own gratification. He knew exactly what he was doing.' The force reiterated its commitment to monitoring and prosecuting similar offenders through specialist operations.

This case, reported by Teesside Live and Chronicle Live, highlights the dangers of online grooming and the importance of digital evidence in securing convictions against child sex offenders in the North East of England.