Man jailed after sending sexually explicit messages to children

A man who sent sexually explicit messages to children online has been jailed.

Stephen Blackwell began messaging one girl on Tiktok when she was just 10. He initially told her he was a 17-year-old boy who lived in London before admitting he had lied about his age. He repeatedly sent her photos and videos and asked her to send him images in return.

The matter came to light after the girl’s mum found the messages on her phone and contacted police.

Blackwell was arrested in connection with the incident and released on bail while investigations continued.

While on bail, he also began messaging accounts he believed belonged to 14-year-old girls. However, these accounts were all actually decoy accounts run by an online child activist group.

Blackwell sent numerous videos showing him performing sex acts on himself, and also asked the girls to carry out acts on themselves.

Stephen Blackwell

The 46-year-old, of Matlock, was arrested and subsequently charged with engaging in sexual communication with a child, causing a girl under 13 to engage in sexual activity, attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, causing a child under 13 to watch/look at an image of sexual activity and attempting to cause a child aged 13 to 15 to watch/look at an image of sexual activity.

He denied the offences but was found guilty after a trial at Derby Crown Court.

He appeared at the same court for sentencing on 16 August when he was jailed for 11 years and three months with the judge handing him an extended sentence to recognise the danger he posed.

He was also given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and was placed on the sex offenders register.

Temporary Detective Constable Samantha Bramley and Detective Constable Sarah North, who led the investigation, said: “Blackwell’s behaviour in persistently seeking sexual gratification from children and the fact he continued to offend despite being on bail shows what a dangerous individual he is.

“He has shown no regard for the law and by denying these offences he has also shown that he has no real grasp that what he was doing was wrong.  There is no doubt that he would have continued to commit offences if he had not been sent to prison.

“It is pleasing therefore that he is now behind bars and the judge acknowledged the threat he poses by imposing an extended sentence of imprisonment.”

To report or seek help about online sexual abuse, you can contact us in any of the following ways:

• Website– We have crime reporting tools on our website: use our online contact form
• Facebook– send us a private message to the Derbyshire Constabulary Facebook page
• X (Twitter) – direct message our contact centre via @DerPolContact
• Phone – call us on 101
• If you are in immediate danger and need and emergency response, always dial 999.

You can also anonymously contact the independent charity CrimeStoppers, on 0800 555 111, or by visiting the CrimeStoppers website.

There are also a number of other organisations who may be able to help with advice or alternative ways in which you can report. They are:

• Child Exploitation Online Protection command (CEOP) - http://ceop.police.uk/
• Internet Watch Foundation - https://www.iwf.org.uk/
• NSPCC Helplines: Anyone concerned about a child can contact the NSPCC Helpline for advice on 0808 8005000
• Get Safe Onlineprovide advice on staying safe online.
• Thinkuknow: An education programme keeping children and young people safe by teaching about sexual abuse and sexual exploitation.