A disgraced Sunderland Labour councillor who had explicit online sex chat with who he thought was a child has been spared jail.
Paul Middleton, who represented the Washington South ward, believed the child was living in a care home when he sent the shocking messages to her in 2017.But Newcastle Crown Court heard the 44-year-old dad had actually been communicating with a police officer, who was involved in an online operation to snare paedophiles.The girl in the online conversations never existed. Prosecutor Jonathan Devlin told the court Middleton had made contact with a profile in a chatroom and was told the user “Maddie” was a kid.The conversation quickly became “sexually suggestive” and Mr Devlin said: “He asked Maddie what kind of fun she liked, asking whether that was naughty fun.”She told him she lived in a care home.”Middleton asked the girl, in graphic terms, about sexual contact she had had with boys in the home, and, added Mr Devlin, “the conversation went on in that way”.The court heard as the chat became more explicit, the decoy child described it as “gross”. Mr Devlin added: “He said any behaviour like that with him wouldn’t be gross.” He sent her a friend request on a separate occasion, but there was no further correspondence between them.The court then heard Middleton was arrested last summer.
Middleton pleaded guilty to attempting to sexually communicate with a child.
Judge Tim Gittins sentenced him to four months’ imprisonment, suspended for 18 months, with programme requirements and a three-month night-time curfew.Middleton must abide by a sexual harm prevention order and sign the Sex Offenders’ Register for seven years.
Judge Gittins told him: “It is difficult to imagine the circumstances in which it is appropriate for someone who doesn’t know the child to be engaged in their social media, let alone going on to talk in the way that you did.”One aspect of the short conversation causes me even more concern. That is, she said to you she was living in a care home, so you understood, as an intelligent man, she would have increased vulnerability as a result, had it been a real child.”You weren’t to know of the particular background that led to that child entering into a care home, you were prepared to joke about her being abused by boys within that home.”You maintained it was jokey banter. Well, I refuse to accept that. It is ridiculous for you to try to suggest that the motivation of those sexual chats was done for anything other than of seeking to gain then, or thereafter in ongoing conversations, sexual gratification.”The judge said he accepted Middleton’s risk of re-offending is low and he was under significant stress at the time.
labour25 
I’m really confused why he hasn’t been sent to prison. Can you just imagine what disgusting behaviour he would have been doing with her? Sick!
Because the judge was liebour
Yes hide your face commie b*stard.
He would not like this JOKEY BANTER if an old man was doing this with his kids for sure.
maybe???????
Left wing peados again. Whoop de doo. How long did he get? Frigall again and a court case at our expsnse.
Labour sex pests are really on the rampage like the plague. Why isnt this geezer sent down! Should be doing bird now ffs
Sick f*cker should *** his **** ***.
Sorry, had to amend your comment. I know people are angry and we do get emails daily to attend to. Please remember that these Labour party paedophiles are named and shamed now.
Anybody remember Hewitt and PIE thing from the 1970’s??? Like this all over again.
Greasy f@t b@st@rd. Bet he was gonna take sweeties as well. Walked free an Y””?
The beast of Sunderland, Sunderland’s finest Labour party paedophile. Durty durty durty.
Paul Fiddleton not Middleton paedo scum.
WTF! Throw him in the nick!!!!!!!!!!! Walked free to molest kids????
Labour at it again//again//etc: whats new!
Another 1 bites the dust. Why cant the police go threw labour and abolish them all ghere rapin kids all the time do something
The police are are covering up major sex crimes