The court revealed that Crozier contacted a man online, claiming he had two children—a seven-year-old girl and a nine-year-old boy. Crozier detailed disturbing sexual acts he intended to perform on the girl and even requested the boy’s underwear. Unknown to Crozier, the “father” was an undercover police officer, and the children did not exist.
Judge Richard Clews described Crozier’s online messages as “very deeply disturbing” and said they would cause any right-thinking person to recoil in horror. “Had these children been real, the girl would have suffered significant, likely lifelong harm,” he added.
Crozier told probation officers he had no sexual interest in children and was only trying to gain attention from the man posing as the father. Judge Clews rejected this explanation, stating that Crozier posed a high risk of serious harm to children and was a “dangerous” offender.
As part of his sentence, a Sexual Harm Prevention Order has been imposed, and Crozier must sign the sex offender register for life.
Police and child protection experts emphasised the importance of vigilance online and warned that such offenders often attempt to exploit anonymous platforms to target children.
