Pensioner jailed after sexually abusing child
A 71-year-old Tamworth man has been jailed after sexually abusing a child and using an online chat room to attempt to meet up with another. Paul Cox, of Bancroft, sexually assaulted a child under the age of 13 between October 2019 and September 2022.
He also believed he had been talking to a 12-year-old girl on an online chat room service. Dangerous Cox used usernames ‘Loving Gramps’ and ‘Cotchus’ while online.
On July 18, 2022, Cox sent a message saying “any interest in older chat to a Warwickshire guy” to the profile described as a 12-year-old girl. After being told the age given on the profile, Cox replied: “Cool, I am 64.”
Cox also asked “have u had any naughty uncles as u grew up[sic]” and “has anyone tried to touch u [sic]”. Three days later, Cox tried to meet up and asked what she would wear.
Conversations continued online. On August 22, Cox sent multiple explicit messages to the profile and tried to encourage her to send him nude pictures in return.
The next day, when he did not receive any pictures, Cox attempted to make the profile owner feel guilty for not replying. He asked how she was going to make it up to him and again made attempts to arrange a meet.
At 10.30am, on September 20, Cox was arrested at his house. While in custody, at least seven additional offences involving Cox touching a young girl in a sexual way between October 2019 and September 2022 were reported. Some of these offences took place in the changing rooms of leisure centres and others while driving.
Cox was found guilty of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, facilitating the sexual assault of a child and seven charges of sexually assaulting a child under the age of 13. He was sentenced to 63 months behind bars at Warwick Crown Court.
He will be required to register with the police as a sex offender for the rest of his life. He was also slapped with a sexual harm prevention order which stipulates that he cannot engage or seek to engage in contact or communication with anyone under the age of 18.
Cox also cannot stop a police officer from accessing any device he owns with access to the internet and cannot own any device capable of accessing the internet other than in public libraries or under the supervision of agencies.
DC Scott from Warwickshire Police said: “Over the course of four years, and for the purpose of his own gratification, Paul Cox sexually abused one child and attempted to encourage others to meet him to be abused.
“His activities were predatory, attempting to use guilt as a means for coercion and control. For just over five years, he’ll be removed from society.
“For the rest of his life, he will be prevented from interacting with any child or with anyone on the internet unsupervised. We will be watching him extremely closely. The healing process for the victim and her family has begun, and our thoughts are with them.”