Dave Hudson

Dave Hudson, a 54-year-old man from Telford, Shropshire, was sentenced at Shrewsbury Crown Court for attempting to engage in sexual communications with a child and related offences. The case arose after Hudson was caught by members of the vigilante group Dank Dragon, who operate decoy profiles to expose child predators.

On 4 February 2024, Hudson initiated a conversation on the RandoChat app with a profile named 'Luna', who immediately stated her age as 14. Despite this, Hudson quickly steered the discussion towards sexual topics, discussing touching and underwear in an attempt to coax the decoy into more explicit exchanges. At the time, Hudson was just days away from completing the Horizon sex offenders programme, part of his rehabilitation following prior convictions.

Members of Dank Dragon traced Hudson's location to Shrewsbury and confronted him at his residence in Doddington, Hollinswood, Telford. Police were called to the scene, where Hudson was arrested. Officers seized two Samsung mobile phones, one of which was not registered with his offender manager as required by his sexual harm prevention order. During his police interview, Hudson admitted to having a sexual interest in children.

Hudson pleaded guilty to attempting to engage in sexual communications with a child, attempting to incite a girl to engage in sexual activity, and breaching a sexual harm prevention order. He had two previous convictions for seven offences, including a suspended two-year jail sentence in March 2023 for five child sex offences: two counts of attempting to engage in sexual communications with a child, two of making indecent images of a child, and one of trying to engage a child in sexual activity. The latest offences breached that suspension.

In mitigation, Danny Smith acknowledged that immediate custody was inevitable, describing Hudson as living a loner's lifestyle with no family or friends to support him. Smith noted Hudson's progress in prison, including work in a sewing factory. Judge Peter Barrie, presiding over the remote hearing, condemned Hudson's actions, stating: 'You tried to engage in conversation with a 14-year-old girl for your own gratification. You reached the point where you were talking about touching both you and her. There were many discussions about her underwear. Where it would have ended up, I don’t know. You were trying to coax her into being more sexual.' The judge added: 'This was committed by a man in his 50s who really should know better. It is a disgusting way to treat fellow human beings.'

Hudson was jailed for a total of three years, expected to serve 40 per cent before release on licence. He was also required to register on the sex offenders register for seven years, with his existing sexual harm prevention order continuing for nine more years. The case was reported by the Shropshire Star on 17 April 2024.