Child sex 'predator' worked with vulnerable children

A "predator" whose job involved working with vulnerable children has been jailed for child sex offences.

Karl Shuttleworth, formerly of Poulshot Road in Poulshot, Wiltshire, pleaded guilty to attempting to cause or incite a female child to engage in sexual activity and attempting to cause a child under 13 to watch or look at an image of sexual activity.

Shuttleworth, 60, who police said "posed a real danger", also admitted to arranging or facilitating the commission of a child sex offence and attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child.

He was sentenced at Salisbury Crown Court to three years imprisonment and barred from working with children and vulnerable adults for life.

Wiltshire Police said Shuttleworth was arrested in June 2024 for engaging with children's online profiles, who he believed to be as young as 12, in an attempt to meet them for sexual activity.

Det Con Jason Walsh, from the Child Internet Exploitation Team which led the investigation, said they "believe Shuttleworth had a real sexual interest in children".

"Shuttleworth is a predator who made numerous attempts via various online platforms to instruct people who he believed were children to engage in sexual activity," he said.

"Although we found no live victims - considering he had a job which involved working alongside vulnerable children, I believe he posed a real danger."

Shuttleworth was also handed a 10 year sexual harm prevention order and ordered to pay Crown Prosecution Service costs of £1,000 and a £228 surcharge.

Follow BBC Wiltshire on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630.