Man Sentenced for Arranging Child Sexual Abuse

Ian Watson, 56, of Churchfields, St Helens, was sentenced to five years imprisonment after being found guilty of arranging and facilitating the commission of a child sexual offence.

Watson was caught by police making arrangements online to meet a nine-year-old boy in Cheshire to engage in sexual activity. He was communicating with another adult online, but unbeknownst to him, his accomplice was actually a police officer from the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit (NWROCU).

On March 30, 2020, Watson was arrested at his home address and appeared in Liverpool Crown Court on Friday, January 28, charged with child sexual offences.

Detective Inspector Andy Buckthorpe of NWROCU said: "Ian Watson was a significant risk to children and we are extremely glad that our investigation has stopped him from being able to act on his abusive intentions. Here at the NWROCU, we are committed to protecting children from sexual exploitation. Law enforcement operates across the internet and we are committed to ensuring those who use this means of communicating with those they believe to be children to arrange sexual abuse are brought before the courts to face justice."

Detective Sergeant Rob Deponeo, from Merseyside Police said: "Offenders often think that the internet will offer them complete anonymity to commit offences, but, as today's sentence shows, this is not the case. Merseyside Police has specialist officers working tirelessly in partnership with other agencies such as the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit to identify offenders, no matter where they live or what devices they use."

"A huge amount of work is done by law enforcement agencies throughout the world to identify offenders, infiltrate their networks and uncover the evidence we need to put them behind bars and ensure that suitable safeguarding measures are put in place. We work with other UK forces, agencies and CEOP (the Child Exploitation Online Protection centre), as well as agencies in other countries who share our desire and determination to protect children from depraved and dangerous offenders such as Watson."

"We will use every tactic and technological advancement available to ensure people cannot and do not get away with the terrible crimes they have committed."

Anyone who has been a victim of child abuse, or thinks a child is being abused, is urged to contact police immediately on 101, where a report can be made in confidence.