A 65-year-old man, Mark Pegram, has been jailed after attempting to arrange the sexual abuse of a child in Chippenham. Pegram, from Enfield, North London, pleaded guilty to the commission of a child sex offence and possessing indecent images of a child following a sting operation conducted by Wiltshire Police and the South West Regional Organised Crime Unit (SWROCU).
Pegram engaged in explicit online discussions before traveling to meet who he believed was a child for the purpose of committing sexual abuse. Upon his arrival in Chippenham on November 13, 2021, he was apprehended by Wiltshire Police officers.
Initially denying any intention of engaging in sexual acts with the child, Pegram later changed his plea to guilty during trial. He was subsequently sentenced to 48 months in prison, ordered to register with the police indefinitely in accordance with the Sexual Offences Act 2003, given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, and instructed to pay a £156 surcharge at Swindon Crown Court on November 22.
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Detective Constable Kerry Foster emphasized the distressing nature of the case, urging anyone who suspects child sexual exploitation to immediately contact the authorities. DI David Wells from SWROCU’s Online Investigations Team stressed the importance of identifying and reporting offenders who use the internet to prey on children.
The case serves as a reminder of the crucial work carried out to protect children from exploitation and harm, with a call for vigilance in reporting suspected cases of child sexual exploitation to the authorities.