Devon paedophile jailed

James Pidgeon, 57, caught by online officers

A man who arranged to sexually abuse a child has been jailed for five and a half years.

James Pidgeon, 57, of Crest Hill in Buckfastleigh, was already a registered sex offender with prior convictions for possession and making indecent images of children.

Despite this Prevention Order, Pidgeon continued to commit online offences relating to children.

He appeared at Exeter Crown Court on Tuesday 3 October where he pleaded guilty to arranging/facilitating the commission of a child sex offence, distribution of indecent photographs of children, and breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

An online police paedophile investigator pretended to be a child to catch him and arrange a meet up on Torquay seafront where officers swooped in and made their arrest.

During the conversations, Pidgeon bragged about how he had been a paedophile for over 30 years and talked about his desire to rape children. 
Mr Pidgeon was also given an extended five years on license and given an indefinite Sexual harm prevention order and forfeiture of digital devices order.

Investigating Officer Detective Constable Sophie House said: 

“Despite being subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, this did not deter Pidgeon from continuing to commit online offences relating to children. 
“I hope this conviction serves as a stark warning to those with an unlawfully blurred view when it comes to online offences relating to children.

“This case shows our dedicated and specialist team works tirelessly to bring offenders to justice. Online offending is sadly on the rise, but our investigative skills and evidence gathering are constantly evolving.

If you’ve been affected by anything in this news article, support and advice is available here.

To report a crime, please contact the police by calling 101.