North London Man Jailed for Trying to Arrange Child Sex Abuse
Mark Pegram, 65, from Enfield, has been slammed with a 4-year prison sentence and ordered to sign the sex offenders register for life. The grim case unfolded after Pegram travelled to Chippenham to meet an adult he believed would facilitate the sexual abuse of a child.
Grooming Plot Busted in Wiltshire
Pegram was caught after engaging in explicit online chats, where he agreed to meet what he thought was a child for sexual abuse.
On November 13, 2021, as he arrived in Chippenham, police swooped and arrested him. Initially, he denied any intention to offend but later changed his plea to guilty during trial.
The swindon/" title="Swindon" data-wpil-keyword-link="linked">Swindon Crown Court handed down his sentence: 48 months behind bars, indefinite registration under the Sexual Offences Act 2003, a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, and a £156 surcharge.
Police Warn Public to Stay Vigilant
Detective Constable Kerry Foster said: “This was an extremely distressing case for the jury. They had to view a large number of messages containing graphic details about the sexual acts he planned to carry out on the child.”
“They also heard recordings describing these disturbing plans. Our Child Internet Exploitation Team works closely with social care and health agencies to protect vulnerable children. We urge anyone suspecting child sexual exploitation to contact us immediately.”
Detective Inspector David Wells from SWROCU added: “Identifying offenders who groom children online is vital. Protecting children from exploitation is our top priority. If you have concerns about child abuse online, report it to the police without delay.”
Speak Up: How to Report Child Sexual Exploitation
If you suspect someone of child sexual exploitation—or believe a child you know is at risk—visit the reporting page or call 101. For hearing or speech impairments, use the textphone service on 18001 101.
If a child is in immediate danger, call 999 now. Textphone users can text 999 via the emergencySMS service.
