October 2026

Zak Waring jailed for s*xual messages to decoy

Zak Waring, 26, of Lodge Avenue, Ashbourne, was jailed for eight years and three months at Derby Crown Court on 16 October 2026 after sending s*xually explicit messages to an online decoy he believed was a 13-year-old girl.

Waring pretended to be 16 and used the Bigo platform before moving the conversation to WhatsApp. He sent s*xual content and encouraged the supposed child to send images. The account was operated by an online child abuse activist group.

He committed the offences while subject to a 10-year S*xual Harm Prevention Order that banned him from using messaging services to contact a child under 16. He had a previous conviction for a similar offence.

Waring pleaded guilty to attempting to cause or incite a girl aged 13–15 to engage in s*xual activity, attempted s*xual communication with a child, attempting to cause a child aged 13–15 to look at an image of s*xual activity and attempting to breach the order. He was given an indefinite S*xual Harm Prevention Order and must register with police indefinitely.