A “deviant” paedophile tried to groom an “11-year-old girl” online via a series of “graphic” suggestions and requests.
Louis Schon, 36, of Woodridge, Windmill Hill, Runcorn, was snared after a flurry of hundreds of messages exchanged with the supposed child on June 30, 2021, only to find out she was really an adult decoy.
Myles Wilson, prosecuting at Chester Crown Court sitting in magistrates’ court on Thursday, said Schon also sent naked pictures of himself to the “girl” and invited her to meet with him at a hotel as well as “repeatedly” asking if they could have “sex”.
The prosecutor said the “numerous sexual messages” included depraved enquiries including about what she was wearing under her school uniform, and he asked for pictures of her and “the decoy sent a photograph of an 11-year-old girl”. She later told Schon her phone camera wasn’t working, and he sent a picture of “himself with his chest exposed”, and was “flirtatious and suggestive” with her.
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To one of his vile questions, the decoy replied “oh my days” as she tried to remain sounding “childlike”. Schon also asked for her phone number and sent more naked pictures of himself as well as trying to call her.
Schon claimed he was in his early 20s and “lived nearby” and “repeatedly” asked if she would “have sex”, as well as trying to incite her to perform a sex act. The decoy “played along” and pretended to comply with the request.
Paedophile Schon suggested meeting at a hotel and told the “girl” to “make herself look older so he could take her out”.
He also sent her a pornographic video of a woman with “multiple men”. Mr Wilson said: “There were hundreds of messages back and to that night.”
Schon messaged her the next morning to apologise then blocked the decoy’s account.It wasn’t enough to stop the paedophile hunter group though, who went to his home address as did the police.
Schon was out and subsequently reported missing, only to be found by the police within 24 hours.
Officers also discovered a shopping bag containing “numerous” pairs of children’s knickers in Schon’s bedroom as well as a phone internet history looking at child’s beachwear, some of which he saved as screenshots. In police interview, he answered “no comment”.
At Chester Crown Court on January 4 this year, Schon pleaded guilty to attempted incitement of a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity involving penetration, attempted sexual communication with a child, and two counts of attempting to cause a child under 13 to watch an image of sexual activity.
The incitement charge was also referred to as attempted “facilitation” during the hearing. Mr Wilson noted the use of “grooming”, as well as the “significant disparity in age”.
Schon had previous convictions including for indecent images of children.
Jeremy Rawson, appearing for Schon, said he agreed with the sentencing range stated by the prosecution and there were no objections to the proposed Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).
He pleaded mitigation for Schon’s guilty pleas and said the messages occurred in a “moment of madness” over a “short period of time” and after Schon had consumed excess alcohol and cocaine, adding it was all “on the same night and to his credit he severed links with the decoy the following day”.
Mr Rawson said Schon lost his job as a self-employed tiler and became a “recluse” in Runcorn, and hadn’t offended otherwise since 2012, adding Schon “bitterly regrets” his actions.
Judge Michael Leeming branded Schon a "dangerous offender" and sentenced him to five years and three months in prison with four years on extended licence - making a total sentence of nine years and three months.
Schon will serve two thirds of the main custodial term before being considered for parole.
Judge Leeming placed him on the sex offenders register and a SHPO for life or until further order.
He recounted the details of the case opening and noted the “graphic sexual comments” made by Schon during the "sustained discussion", as well as what Cheshire Police officers found in his bedroom and on his phone, in addition to Schon’s previous six convictions for 12 offences and failure to comply with an order.
The judge said Schon’s probation report had been “largely unfavourable”, showing Schon tried to “minimise” his behaviour by blaming it on being “intoxicated with alcohol and drugs”.
Judge Leeming said: “The pre-sentence report indicated you completed the Better Lives programme by 2015.
“You were deterred from reoffending but that didn’t put paid to your sexual interest in children as the current offences show, and the deterrent had certainly worn off by the time of these offences you committed in 2021.”
He added Schon holds “deviant thoughts” and the messages to the decoy “mark a serious escalation in the seriousness of your offending”.
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