Locations
Willowbridge Lane, Sutton-In-Ashfield, Nottinghamshire, NG17
Description
A sex offender has been returned to jail after he was caught sending explicit messages to a person he thought was a 13-year-old girl.
In reality, 52-year-old Andrew Bray was speaking with a member of an online activist group, who then informed the police.
When Bray was arrested at his home in Sutton on December 22 last year, he correctly predicted he would ‘go back to prison’ as a result.
In a series of messages exchanged on a social media platform, he had encouraged his intended victim to engage in an explicit act.
Despite his initial burst of honesty, Bray gave no comment answers to all the questions asked of him in his police interview.
However, he later pleaded guilty to attempting to incite a girl into sexual activity.
He also admitted to breaching a sexual harm prevention order imposed after a previous offence to prevent him harming children online.
Bray, formerly of Willowbridge Lane, Sutton, appeared at Nottingham Crown Court on March 31 and was jailed for a total of eight years.
Det Con Sophie Lee, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: “Men like Bray are an active danger to children, who they seek to manipulate and corrupt for their own sexual gratification.
“Happily, on this occasion no real child was harmed.
"We know, however, but those young children who are enticed by online predators like Bray can suffer lasting psychological harm as a result.
“I am pleased he has now been returned to jail where he can pose no further harm to children.”