July 2023

Man carried out ‘relentless’ pursuit of ‘teen girls’ online

A man who still plays with children’s toys carried out a “relentless” online pursuit of who he thought were young girls but turned out to be paedophile hunters, a court has heard.

Jordan Godwin, 24, spent almost a year in “persistent and relentless pursuit” of individuals he had believed to be girls aged 12, 13 or 14.

Norwich Crown Court heard he had in fact been communicating online with groups of paeodophile hunters who had been acting as ‘decoys’.

Martin Ivory, prosecuting, said there were seven decoys in all who had been chatting with Godwin purporting to be young girls, between May last year and February this year.

The court heard police arrested Godwin after they were contacted by the hunters.

Godwin, of Queen Elizabeth Drive, Beccles, appeared at court for sentence on Friday (July 14) having admitted eight counts of attempted sexual communication with a child.

He also admitted another offence of attempting to cause or incite a child to engage in sexual activity.

Recorder John Hardy said Godwin had “embarked upon a persistent, indeed a relentless pursuit of girls who you believed to be 12, 13 and 14” but gave him credit for his plea and recognised that he had tried to seek help.

Godwin was given 18 months imprisonment, suspended for two years as part of a sentence which included 30 days Rehabilitation Activity Requirement (RAR).

He was also put on the sex offenders register for five years and made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order SHPO) for five years.