July 2014
Mysterious ‘Florida Beach Girl’ who tricked Coventry teen into stripping off online revealed to be 36-year-old male pervert
A pervert posed as a mysterious young girl to trick a teenage Coventry boy into stripping off online.
But paedophile Steven James, who used the name Florida Beach Girl on Skype, was caught after the boy’s alert dad called in the police.
James, aged 36, persuaded the 14-year-old Coventry boy to take his clothes off on camera.
The youngster’s dad found out about the online exchanges and contacted Coventry Police.
He was praised for keeping an eye on his child’s online activity.
The force called in IT experts and spoke to London’s child exploitation and online protection team who identified business manager James, of Darlington, as the mysterious girl.
Last May police raided his house but police found that significant parts of his computer were encrypted.
He wouldn’t hand over his passwords but with the support from expert detectives police found 450 indecent images of children as well as evidence James had groomed other youngsters.
At Teeside Crown Court on July 17 James, of Victoria Embankment, Darlington, was jailed for four years after he admitted making indecent images of children and inciting a child to engage in sexual activity.
He was banned from working with children and put on the sex offenders’ register for life.
Restrictions have also been put on his future computer use.
Det Con Jon Barker from Coventry Police, said: “James used specialist software to try and hide his internet search history and protect certain areas of his computer with advanced encryption technology.
“He provided Durham detectives with two 27-character passwords but both were incorrect and claimed not to recall how to access some files − but forensic IT analysts recovered enough evidence to prove he’d been downloading indecent images and inciting children to commit sex acts online.”
Det Con Barker also praised the Coventry victim’s dad for looking into his son’s online activity.
He added: “You need to be absolutely certain who you’re talking to online – your son or daughter may believe they’re chatting with another teenager but, in reality, it could be someone much older with sinister intentions.
“Parents shouldn’t feel awkward asking their children what they’re up to online and who they’re talking to on social media.
“Perhaps have an agreement that they only use the internet in an overt manner, perhaps only in the living room, rather than squirreled away in their bedrooms.’
