Locations
Scarborough, North Yorkshire
Description
A Scarborough man who sent 'sexual' images to who he believed to be a 13-year-old girl has been handed a suspended sentence after being snared by police.
John Gilbert, 53, was involved in online chats with a teenager he believed to be 13-years-old between September 2 and September 14.
But he was actually communicating with a fake account that had been set up by police officers from North Yorkshire Police.
York Magistrates' Court heard Gilbert sent sexual images to the account, engaged in "sexualised chat" and made arrangements to meet the girl.
He was arrested on September 16 and a search warrant was executed at his home.
Key evidence proving Gilbert had been involved in the online child sexual abuse activity through various dating and messaging applications was obtained from his smart phone by the Digital Forensic Unit.
He appeared at York Magistrates' Court on Friday (October 15) for sentencing after pleading guilty to three offences of being an adult attempting to meet a girl under 16 years of age following grooming; attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child and attempting to cause a child aged 13 to 15 to watch/look at an image of sexual activity on September 17.
Gilbert was sentenced to six months' imprisonment, suspended for two years.
Police Constable Francesca Diffey, of the Online Abuse and Exploitation Team based at Scarborough, led the investigation which secured the conviction.
Said PC Diffey: "It is clear from the investigation that Gilbert has an active sexual interest in children and that he presents a very real danger to society, said PC Diffey.
"Through the work of the police, we were able to intervene before he preyed on young victims.
"We have also ensured that Gilbert has been made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and he is on the Sex Offenders Register.
"This means he will be closely managed by strict public protection measures."