Christopher Hawksworth, a 41-year-old man from Brookfield Street in Leeds, West Yorkshire, was sentenced to 35 months in prison at Leeds Crown Court for attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child and breaching a suspended sentence related to previous child sexual offences.
The offences occurred in September 2024 when Hawksworth initiated contact with a decoy profile created by the 'Dirty Online Predators Exposed' group on the social media site Chat Ever. The profile, named Milly, used an edited photograph to appear younger and initially listed the age as 18. Upon messaging, the decoy immediately disclosed being 13 years old. Despite this, Hawksworth responded, '13> Oh too young,' but proceeded to ask if she wanted to see 'something I have, every guy has,' implying his penis. The conversation shifted to WhatsApp, where he sent a picture of his penis and inquired about her sexual experiences.
Prosecutor Oliver Connor detailed in court how Hawksworth escalated the interaction by sending a video of himself ejaculating, describing it as 'educational.' He displayed grooming behaviour by asking if she would date him, suggesting they become boyfriend and girlfriend, and proposing they meet to try 'something out in bed together.' Hawksworth assured the decoy he only wanted normal images of her, shared pictures of himself, and warned her about sharing private photos with others, claiming he would contact the police if needed.
Hawksworth was arrested following the exposure by the group, and his phone was seized and analysed, confirming the incriminating messages and apps. In his police interview, he admitted, 'I have been stupid. These are stupid things to say. I have mental health issues, I don't mean to do it.' He had been subject to a sexual harm prevention order and was on a suspended sentence for prior child sexual offences, having completed only partial requirements of his community order, including 41 hours of 180 hours of unpaid work and 20 of 40 rehabilitation activity days.
Mitigating, Craig Sutcliffe explained that Hawksworth had been in a relationship with a 40-year-old woman prior to the offences, which ended when she learned of his past convictions, leading to his lapse. He noted Hawksworth had not offended since May 2023 until this incident in September 2024, describing it as a single, short period of grooming. Judge Stubbs, sentencing Hawksworth, stated, 'You have urges, that when life becomes awkward for you, you simply cannot control [them].' In response, Hawksworth claimed, 'In my defence, none of this offending is done on purpose. Because of my mental health issues, I need a permanent ban on using mobile phones.'
This case highlights Hawksworth's history as a prolific paedophile, with previous releases from custody, including in March 2024, underscoring repeated failures to comply with prevention measures.