David Macquarrie

David Macquarrie, a 40-year-old resident of Scrooby Close in Harworth, Nottinghamshire, was sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court on 26 February 2026 for a series of child sex offences committed against an underage girl.

The abuse began in August and September 2025, when Macquarrie initiated contact with the victim online. Despite being fully aware of her underage status, he engaged her in conversations of a sexual nature, grooming her over time. This manipulation led to the girl meeting him at his address on multiple occasions, where he subjected her to repeated sexual abuse.

Concurrently, Macquarrie attempted to target another perceived child online, engaging in sexual communications. Unbeknownst to him, this was a decoy account operated by an online child activist group, which prompted his arrest and uncovered the full extent of his crimes. The real victim demonstrated remarkable courage by coming forward to report the abuse to Nottinghamshire Police, enabling detectives to build a comprehensive case against him.

Macquarrie pleaded guilty to seven counts of engaging in sexual activity with a child, three counts of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, and admissions to both engaging and attempting to engage in sexual communications with a child. In addition to his custodial sentence, he was placed on the sex offenders’ register for life, issued a 10-year restraining order prohibiting contact with the victim, and subjected to a 15-year sexual harm prevention order.

Detective Constable Ellie Talbot of Nottinghamshire Police commended the victim's bravery, stating: “First and foremost, I want to highlight and commend the courage shown by the young victim in disclosing what happened to her. That can’t have been an easy thing to do, with the immense bravery she demonstrated ensuring Macquarrie’s depravity was revealed and his disgusting actions didn’t go unpunished.” Talbot further noted Macquarrie’s awareness of the victim’s age and his persistent grooming and abuse, which occurred alongside attempts to target another child.

The case, reported by the Doncaster Free Press on 27 February 2026, underscores the vital role of victim testimony and proactive measures by activist groups in bringing paedophiles to justice.