Paedophile caught by bragging to undercover cop
Northumbria PoliceA "dangerous" paedophile who boasted online about molesting a girl after threatening her into performing sex acts has been jailed for eight years.
Ian Campbell, 34, told his young victim she had to follow his orders otherwise he would publish indecent photographs of her online, Newcastle Crown Court heard.
He was caught after bragging in a chatroom and saying he wished he had raped the girl to what he thought was another abuser, but it was actually an undercover police officer.
Campbell, from Kettering, Northamptonshire, admitted nine offences against two girls, which were committed when he lived in the North East.
Campbell, who has previous convictions for possessing indecent images of children, began abusing the first girl when she was eight years old, prosecutor Andrew Finlay said.
He took indecent pictures of her which he then threatened to release online unless she did what he said, the court heard.
In March 2021, Campbell contacted what he thought was a paedophile on the app Kik, Mr Finlay said.
He went on to tell the person, who was an undercover police officer, about the abuse he had carried out in graphic detail, the court heard.
'High risk to children'
Campbell said he wished he had been "brave enough" to rape the girl but had only stopped short of that because he feared any physical "damage" he would cause to her would be noticed by other people, the court was told.
He also admitted sexually assaulting a second girl when she was seven years old.
His first victim declined to make a victim impact statement as she did "not want to drag things up" and wanted to "put matters behind her", Mr Finlay said.
The second victim said the abuse made her feel sick and she had suffered "waves" of depression and anxiety in the aftermath.
Campbell, of Mill Road, must sign the sex offender register for life after admitting offences including assaulting a child under 13 by penetration and inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.
Judge Penny Moreland concluded Campbell was a "dangerous offender" who posed a "high risk of serious harm" to children.
He will have to serve four years on extended licence upon his release and can only be released partway through the eight-year incarceration if approved by the Parole Board, the judge said.