Christopher Dunham, a 39-year-old resident of Norwich, was caught in a sting operation by online paedophile hunters after attempting to groom what he thought was a 13-year-old girl on Facebook Messenger. Posing as a 20-year-old, Dunham initiated contact that quickly turned flirty and sexual, complimenting the 'girl' on her beauty and expressing eagerness to wait until she was 16 'for obvious reasons'. He discussed sexual topics, inquired if she had seen men's genitals, and sent an explicit image of his own.
Prosecutor Chris Youell told Norwich Crown Court that the conversation occurred between March and September 2023. Following a tip from the paedophile hunters, police seized Dunham's electronic devices, uncovering more than 7,000 indecent images of children, including 1,399 Category A images—the most severe category—many featuring children under 10, with numerous aged between two and four years old. The devices also contained prohibited images of children and extreme pornographic images. Additionally, officers discovered cannabis valued at over £1,500, cocaine worth more than £1,800, and a small cannabis cultivation setup, leading to drug-related charges.
Dunham appeared in court on Friday, having pleaded guilty to attempting to engage in sexual communications with a child, attempting to cause a child to watch images of sexual activity, and attempting to cause a girl to engage in sexual activity. He also admitted to three counts of making indecent images of a child, possession of prohibited images of a child, and possession of extreme pornographic images. On the drug charges, he pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of cannabis, possession with intent to supply cannabis, and possession of cocaine.
Recorder Laurence Harris described the offending as 'very serious' and noted Dunham was 'very close' to receiving an immediate prison term. However, considering it was an attempt offence, he imposed a 24-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months. Dunham was ordered to complete five days of Rehabilitation Activity Requirement, 250 hours of unpaid work, and a six-month drugs rehabilitation requirement. He was made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for 10 years and placed on the sex offenders' register for the same period. Mitigating, Rob Pollington described Dunham as a 'broken individual' desperate for help.
The case was heard at Norwich Crown Court, with reporting by Peter Walsh, Court and Crime Correspondent for the Eastern Daily Press.