Darlington couple jailed for almost 40 years after being caught by paedophile hunters

A couple who travelled to a train station to meet a "14-year-old girl" had actually arranged to meet vigilantes.

Gavin Marsden and Amy Scott were arrested at Durham Railway Station in April 2022 after being caught by a paedophile hunting group.

Marsden, 31, and Scott, 32, carried out a catalogue of abuse against young children over several years have been jailed.

An investigation by Durham Police found that the pair had photos and videos of them sexually abusing children.

They also found lengthy conversations which showed the pair communicating and coordinating their abuse with each other on WhatsApp.

The couple were charged with a multitude of sexual offences - including distribution of indecent images of children, possession of indecent images of children, and attempting to engage in sexual behaviour with a child.

Marsden and Scott, both of Darlington, pleaded guilty to the offences and appeared at Teesside Crown Court on 21 July.

Marsden received a 22-year extended prison sentence, comprising of 16 years in prison with six years on extended licence.  

Scott was also handed an extended sentence of 15 years, comprising of 11 years in prison with four years on extended licence.

Detective Sergeant Lee Foster and his team at Darlington CID led the investigation. He said:

“The extent of the abuse uncovered during this investigation was so dreadful that it affected many of the detectives who worked on the case; several members of my team made comments that they had to hug their own children tightly when they returned home after work.

Officers from Darlington Safeguarding Team have also worked to identify the children pictured in the images and videos, to safeguard and protect them from further harm.

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