Gary Hutton

Gary Hutton, a 59-year-old resident of Bootham Crescent in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for attempting to arrange or facilitate child sex offences. The case came to light through a proactive police operation targeting online predators, highlighting the dangers of digital grooming and the effectiveness of law enforcement in preventing harm to children.

On 25 February 2025, Hutton initiated contact via an online messaging site with what he believed was a woman willing to enable sexual assault on her child. Unbeknownst to him, the account was a decoy operated by the Regional Organised Crime Unit (ROCU), designed to identify and apprehend individuals seeking to exploit children. During the conversation, Hutton discussed explicit plans for sexual abuse, demonstrating clear intent to commit child sex offences.

• Hutton engaged in detailed discussions about sexually assaulting the purported child.
• The decoy profile was part of a broader sting operation to catch online predators.

Police acted swiftly, arresting Hutton the following day on 26 February 2025. Officers seized three mobile phones, two tablets, a laptop, and a computer from his possession for forensic digital examination. Analysis of one of the mobile phones revealed additional conversations with other profiles on the same platform, where Hutton had discussed engaging in sexual abuse of those profiles' purported children, further evidencing his pattern of behaviour.

Hutton was interviewed by officers on 26 February and again on 27 February 2025, but he provided no comment to all questions posed. On 28 March 2025, he was charged with three counts of attempting to arrange or facilitate the commission of a child sex offence at Sheffield Crown Court. Initially, Hutton pleaded not guilty to the charges. However, on 11 September 2025, he changed his pleas to guilty on two counts, leading to his remand in custody.

Sentencing occurred on 18 November 2025 at Sheffield Crown Court, where Hutton received a 10-year custodial sentence, with an additional five years on licence. He was also issued with a Sexual Harm Prevention Order to restrict his future activities and protect the public. The court proceedings were reported by the Doncaster Free Press, underscoring the local impact of such crimes in the Doncaster community.

Detective Constable Becky Straw, from the Online Sexual Offences Team, commented on the case: “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 Internet Sex Offences Team officers who carry out vital work behind the scenes to keep children in our community safe from those who would do them unconscionable harm.” She further noted the swift action taken, with arrest occurring within 24 hours and devices seized to preserve evidence. The operation was conducted by the Internet Sex Offences Team (ISOT) under the ROCU, demonstrating collaborative efforts to combat online child exploitation in the UK.