Powys man with 'clear sexual interest in children' jailed

Callum Walker, from Presteigne, was described as “highly manipulative” by Judge Paul Hobson at Cardiff Crown Court on Monday, September 2, who said he used his three female victims like objects.

Walker, who admitted some of the 10 charges against him but denied most of them, was found guilty at trial earlier this year.

Walker was aged between 18 and 20 during the period the offences occurred, between December 2018 and September 2021. His victims were as young as 12.

Walker denied five counts of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and sexual communication with a child, but was found guilty of all five.

He admitted two counts of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity; sexual communication with a child; possession of indecent photographs of a child and possessing an extreme pornographic image.

He has been described by a probation officer as a high risk to young girls.

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Prosecutors in the case said Walker began talking to two of his victims, who were friends, in the winter of 2018.

“The defendant met one of the victims on Instagram when she was 12,” said prosecutor Mr Jones.

“The conversation moved to Snapchat and then video calling. It was sexual from the time they began talking and involved her displaying her breasts, vagina and backside. He groomed her into acting in this way.

“There were gaps but continued communication in June 2021.”

Mr Jones said two counts Walker faced related to a victim who had never been identified.

With another victim, Mr Jones said Walker lied about his age, telling her he was 17 when he was in fact 20.

“It was sustained and persistent communication,” said Mr Jones.

Two offences of sexual assault on a child, aged 13, in 2021, relate to the third victim.

Mr Jones said restraining orders were sought by all three victims, none of whom had wished to provide police with victim impact statements.

Ms Cox, representing Walker, spoke of the difficult upbringing her client had endured.

“He has accepted there was communication over a period but not the degree of manipulation commented on,” she said.

“There was an element of roleplay and fantasy and there were mutual exchanges from both sides, with a degree of reciprocation from one victim, who appears to be perfectly content engaging with the defendant. There was a degree of a relationship between them."

Ms Cox said during the period of offending, Walker had to deal with his father being removed from the family home.

“There were mental health struggles during the period of offending,” she said.

Judge Hobson told Walker the messages he sent showed a manipulative side to him.

“These offences involved three child victims," the judge said. "Yet you continue to minimise the seriousness of what you did, which was a particular concern of the probation officer.

“You have experienced difficult matters in your life, but that does not begin to excuse the way you behaved towards your victims.

“You put your own need for sexual gratification ahead of their welfare.

“You have a clear sexual interest in children and you continue to deny or downplay it, despite the overwhelming evidence to the contrary, and the overwhelming verdicts of the jury.

“You spoke of a ‘hook-up culture’ but it wasn’t this; it was child abuse.”

Walker was jailed for six years in total. This includes three years for causing a child to engage in sexual activity; two years and three months for inciting a girl to engage in sexual activity; and nine months for sexual communication with a child – with these terms to be served consecutively.

Furter periods of 18 months, 15 months and one month each for possession of child sex images and a pornographic image of a dog will be served concurrently.

The judge granted restraining orders for each victim, which will last 10 years. A sexual harm prevention order will last for the same period.

Walker will be subject to a notification period indefinitely – meaning he will have to make police aware of any changes in accommodation, for example, forever. He was also ordered to hand over his mobile phone.