'I am depraved,' online groomer told police

Matthew Westbury-Wells, from Rowley Regis, was caught by a police sting operation after he used the Quikr chat site to communicate with what he thought were two children.

In fact, he was talking to an officer from a police child protection team who had created the false profile of a boy called Mark.

Westbury-Wells asked him if he had a younger sister and then started chatting with the fictional girl even though she told him from the outset that she was only 12.

The 44-year-old father, who at the time lived in Tiverton, Devon, sent both children graphic images of himself and asked them for indecent images in return.

He was found with sickening child abuse images when police seized his phone, the court heard.

Westbury-Wells, now of Cornflower Road, Rowley Regis, admitted two counts of attempted sexual communication with a child, three of making indecent images, and personal possession of cannabis.

He was ordered to attend a 34-session sexual offenders treatment course with 15 days of rehabilitation activities and 100 hours of unpaid community work, by Recorder Kate Brunner, QC, at Exeter Crown Court.

Westbury-Wells was put on the sex offenders register and made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order which will restrict his access to children and allow the police to monitor his online activity.

Recorder Brunner told him:”You described your behaviour as depraved and you are right to be profoundly ashamed and concerned about your proclivities. These are extremely serious offences of a type that can damage children’s lives beyond repair.”

Miss Felicity Payne, prosecuting, said Westbury-Wells made contact with a decoy profile of a 14-year-old boy which was being managed by the police in 2019.

He moved the conversation from Quikr onto Kik and asked the boy to add his 12-year-old sister to the chat. He then turned the conversation to sex and asked for photos in return.

He also tried to ring the girl after being given her number.

Police searched his home in Devon in June 2019 and seized £160 worth of cannabis and devices, including a phone which contained 194 images of children.

There were 81 of the worst category. Of these, 20 were accessible and one showed a baby suffering serious abuse.

Westbury-Wells admitted to police he had a sexual interest in children and obtained gratification. He said: “I am depraved. I am a pervert.”

Miss Kelly Scrivener, defending, said Westbury-Wells has shown a willingness to change by enrolling on a Stop it Now course run by the Lucy Faithfull Foundation.

He has been assessed as a potential risk by the probation service but they have recommended the treatment course as the best way of protecting the public.

Miss Scrivener said he was incredibly open and honest with the police and has stayed out of any kind of trouble during the two years the case has come to court.

Westbury-Wells has separated from his wife as a result of his arrest and is now living with his family in the West Midlands while still visiting his children regularly.