Cambridgeshire sex offender tried to arrange to abuse six-year-old girl

A sex offender was arrested by Cambridgeshire police after he attempted to meet and abuse a six-year-old girl.

Michael Clarey, 59, of New Close Road, Little Thetford, near Ely, went online to find a child to abuse on 6 February, using a false name to cover his tracks.

Admitting to being a paedophile who had previously abused children, he began exchanging messages with someone who sent him a photo of a six-year-old girl, taken at random from a blog post.

Clarey believed he was talking to the girl’s parent but police believe it was an online activist group.

He asked if he could sexually abuse the girl and promised he would take her for a meal and shopping first in Cambridge or Norwich.

But the conversation ended here and was not discovered until police officers paid Clarey an unannounced visit on 25 February.

Clarey was living under restrictions placed on him by a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) imposed by a court in 2021 but officers discovered he had flouted it by hiding devices, including one behind a TV.

This device contained the incriminating messages.

Clarey was jailed for five years and three months at Peterborough Crown Court on 27 June, after admitting attempting to arrange/facilitate commission of a child sex offence.

He must serve a further five years extended sentence upon release under the management of the Probation Service and any breaches could result in him being recalled to prison.

Clarey also admitted five counts of making indecent photographs/pseudo photographs of a child, possessing a prohibited image of a child and 14 breaches of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO), for which he received no separate penalty.

Det Con Andrew McKeane said: “Clarey was never going to meet the girl whose photo was sent to him online but the intent to commit despicable sexual offences was clear.

“The girl in the photos, which were taken some years ago, had no link to anyone involved and is a victim in this case. We have spoken to her parents in Berkshire and they were understandably shocked and upset.

“Clarey has a complete disregard for the law and is a danger to children. He was aware what his SHPO restricted him from doing, but he chose to ignore it.”

Sarah’s Law enables people to ask the authorities whether someone who has contact with a child has either a record for child sexual offences or poses a risk to the child for another reason. Details about how to apply under Sarah's Law can be found at https://www.cambs.police.uk/rqo/request/ri/request-information/sarahs-law/information/v1/sarahs-law-child-sex-offender-disclosure-scheme/how-to-apply/