A Swindon man arranged to abuse children online

A man who tried to abuse two young children online with a woman was actually talking to an undercover police officer, a court has heard.

Adrian Parker of Cameron Close, Stratton St Margaret, pleaded guilty to two charges of arranging/facilitating the commission of a child sex offense at Swindon Crown Court.

Parker, who believed he wanted to perform sexual acts with a child aged six and four months, was described as posing a “significant risk to children”.

He is in jail and will be sentenced on December 4.

Parker had gone out of his way to buy a Barbie toy car as a gift for the six-year-old, which officers found when he was arrested.

Investigator Beccy Scott of the Child Internet Exploitation Team (CIET) said she welcomed Parker’s guilty plea because he “poses a significant risk to children”.

“I have no doubt that Parker intended to commit these depraved crimes against vulnerable children,” she said.

“Here is a man with a clear sexual preoccupation with pre-pubescent children, who has purposefully used the Internet to seek out children or adults who have access to children.”

“If you are concerned about your own internet use or inappropriate thoughts or behavior about children, please seek help from support agencies such as the Lucy Faithful Foundation before you become our next knock on our door.”

Det Supt Becky Tadd, from the South West Regional Organized Crime Unit (SWROCU), said: “We are grateful to our colleagues at Wiltshire Police for the continued investigation into Parker’s abhorrent activities.

“This was an excellent joint operation against a very dangerous sexual predator.”

Wiltshire Police has encouraged those who think a person may be exploiting children, or think they know someone who has been a victim, to call 101 or visit the ‘How to report possible child abuse’ page.