Their stories serve as a stark reminder of the consequences of criminal behaviour in our community:
9. Christopher Smith
An Online Child Abuse Activist Group (OCAAG) raised concerns regarding Christopher Smith, 47, to police on June 24, 2022. They said he had been messaging and sending sexually explicit images and videos to a girl he thought was 14 on social media. Further enquiries found that Smith had previously sexually assaulted a 12-year-old girl on a number of occasions some years earlier. In May 2023, Smith sent a friend request to a woman on Snapchat before sending unwanted “sexualised content” along with multiple videos. Smith, now of no fixed address but formerly from Blackburn, was jailed for six years with an extended licence period of four years. | Lancashire Police
10. Mark Barnfather
Mark Barnfather, 47, was exposed by vigilante ‘paedophile hunters’ who swooped on his home in Marlhill Road, Grange Park last year. The ‘sting’ was streamed live on Facebook and Barnfather was accused of sexually grooming a 14-year-old girl online and attempting to meet her. Barnfather was jailed for three years. | Predator Exposure Photo: Predator Exposure