The team of undercover ‘paedophile hunters’ who helped convict a Guernsey resident who thought he was messaging a 13-year-old girl have said they have “no sympathy” for him.
Darrin Bellingham was jailed for three years on Friday after sending indecent photographs and videos of himself to what he thought was a 13-year-old girl.
He is believed to have only found out that he was actually messaging a grown woman after the decoy reported his actions to Guernsey Police and officers arrested him last August.
His case is the first where a man has been jailed for grooming under laws brought in after the States passed new legislation in 2020.
37-year-old Bellingham admitted attempting to cause a child to watch a sexual act and attempting to cause or incite a child to engage in sexual activity.
He had sent indecent photographs and videos of himself to the ‘girl’ which made up the fifth charge against him for misusing the telecommunications network.
Having denied attempting to arrange to meet a child for sex, and attempting to groom a child for sex, he was found guilty at trial earlier this year.
He was sentenced to three years in total after his individual sentences were all given to run concurrently.
The individual sentences were three years in prison for attempting to arrange or facilitate a child sex offence, 18 months in prison for attempting to cause a child to watch sexual activity, 18 months for attempting to groom a child for sexual conduct, two years in prison for attempting to cause or incite a child to engage in sexual activity, and six months in prison for sending indecent messages breaching the telecommunications law.
The Royal Court heard that he was sentenced on the basis of ‘attempting’ to commit the offences because a child wasn’t actually involved.
The group has now said that it welcomes Bellingham’s conviction and sentencing.
“Darrin embarked upon vile and explicit sexual communication with what he perceived to be a 13-year-old girl and we are satisfied he is sexually attracted to children,” said a spokesperson for London Overwatch.
“We accept you can’t control who you’re attracted to, but what you can control is whether you act on it.
“We welcome the conviction and sentencing of Darrin Bellingham, and are pleased to hear that this is a first for his charge and prosecution of grooming in Guernsey. We hope this paves the way and sets precedence of what is to come for the dregs of society who act on their vile and disgusting fantasy of abusing our children on your beautiful island.”
The offence of ‘grooming’ was criminalised when Guernsey’s Sexual Offences Law 2020 was enacted.
It gave the police and courts more powers around six sexual crimes that the States was told had “become more of an issue over time”.
These offences included grooming and revenge pornography, ‘upskirting’, and possession of paedophile materials.
Home Affairs has recently called for the creation of a new ‘Criminal Justice Legislative Development Programme’. It says that would help speed up work to address emerging risks or to speed up changes to sentencing policies.
London Overwatch has not commented directly on the length of the sentence Bellingham received, but his three-year prison term has attracted some public commentary for being too ‘lenient’.
London Overwatch has however lauded the work of Guernsey Police, who acted after the group tipped them off.
“We cannot commend the Guernsey Police enough after taking our report extremely seriously and fully investigating our evidence that ultimately led to Darrin’s conviction.
“The stigma attached to this offending will last long after their prison sentence ends, and our work will continue by sharing and exposing these type of convictions world wide, from the small UK communities they reside in, and as in Darrin’s case, to his originating country, South Africa.
“We have no sympathy for these vermin or those that want to help hide their conduct and conviction in order to keep our children safe from their offending and reoffending.
“Thank you on behalf of all at London Overwatch.”