A child groomer who attempted to meet underage victims for sexual abuse has been sentenced to ten years in prison following a sting operation by the Metropolitan Police. David Chellapah, 31, was sentenced at Isleworth Crown Court on Friday, May 22, after pleading guilty to 21 offences related to the online sexual exploitation of children.
Details of the Offences
The offences occurred between August and October last year. Police received a tip-off that Chellapah was messaging a child and trying to arrange a meeting to sexually abuse them. Officers intercepted him and arrested him on Friday, October 17, when he arrived at a meeting he had arranged with a child for that purpose.
A forensic search of Chellapah’s mobile phone and other electronic devices revealed he had targeted multiple children aged between 12 and 15 across various social media platforms. He engaged in sustained grooming behaviour, sending sexual messages, inciting children to engage in sexual activity, and attempting to arrange further meetings.
Victims Identified
Through communications recovered during the investigation, officers identified multiple victims. Some children were subjected to coercion and pressure to produce sexual images and videos. Searches of Chellapah’s home address led to the seizure of several digital devices, including a USB stick containing a significant volume of indecent images and videos of children, some involving very young children.
Guilty Plea and Sentencing
Following a thorough investigation, Chellapah pleaded guilty to all counts in February 2026. His offences included sexual communication with a child, attempting to meet a child following grooming, inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, and offences relating to the production and possession of indecent images of children.
DC Alan Stepkowski-Fellows said: “Chellapah showed clear and persistent predatory behaviour, targeting children online and attempting to escalate that contact into serious harm. Our officers acted quickly to intervene, prevent further offences and bring him before the courts.
“Safeguarding victims remains our priority. We worked closely with partners to ensure all children were protected and supported, with specialist officers using trauma-informed approaches. We also secured strong digital evidence so victims did not have to attend court.
“We will continue working with partners to protect children and hold offenders to account.”
