Middlesbrough 2023-06-25

Raymond Attwood 41

Sexting pervert caught by mother of girl he groomed found.

Profile Picture
Offender ID: O-4003

Locations

Wicklow Street, Middlesbrough, TS1

Description

A 'friendless' paedophile, who was originally caught by the mother of a young girl he was sexting online, has appeared back in court after failing to comply with strict rules about his internet usage.

Raymond Attwood, 40, was jailed a decade ago after the mother pretended to be her daughter online, uncovered Attwood's identity and reported him to the police. He served a two-year-sentence for sending the 12-year-old explicit sexual messages detailing what he wanted to do.

Previously, the court heard how Attwood lived an isolate life and had "no actual friends and no actual social life".

On Friday, his new barrister Victoria Lamballe, told Teesside Crown Court that every time Attwood tried to make friends, "he's bullied and ridiculed and this causes him to retreat further into himself. The only contact he has is with his elderly mother."

When police made a surprise visit to Attwood's Middlesbrough home on May 25, and told him they were going to check that he had not been using any internet-enabled devices that he hadn't declared to them - Attwood immediately handed them a mobile phone stuffed down the side of his settee.

Under the terms of his sexual harm prevention order - imposed in 2013 - Attwood must keep to strict rules about his online use, which is monitored by police. He must also declare any new devices and bank cards he has.

Nigel Soppitt, prosecuting, told the court that he hadn't declared the mobile phone and checks made on it showed that he had been using it for a year. "He had downloaded Snapchat, which automatically deletes messages, so this is a further breach" Mr Soppitt said, "and his username "Ray38" had nine female names in his contacts."

Attwood, previously of Saltburn but now of Wicklow Street in central Middlesbrough, pleaded guilty to the two breaches of his sexual harm prevention order and failing to comply with sex offender notification requirements. He has broken his court order twice before - in 2013 and 2022.

Judge Paul Watson KC said that a report on Attwood from the probation service, "suggests he still presents a risk to young girls." Attwood was jailed for 16-months. He will be eligible for release after he has served half of his sentence.

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