Description
A 62-year-old man who tried to meet a 14-year-old girl for sexual abuse has been warned he is in a “position of some jeopardy” ahead of sentencing.
Jonathan Quinnell, formerly of Orpington and now living near Reading, sent sexual messages in December 2023 to an account he believed was a child, suggesting a meetup and discussing assault and rape.
The account was a decoy run by paedophile hunters, who confronted him on December 20, 2023.
Quinnell, who describes himself on LinkedIn as a psychic, hypnotherapist, life coach, healer, and published author, appeared at Croydon Crown Court on January 5 without legal representation.
He had previously pleaded guilty to attempting to meet a girl under 16 following grooming and attempting sexual communication with a child.
Quinnell told Judge Anthony Dunne OBE he had “put off” hiring a lawyer due to anxiety and stress.
Judge Dunne adjourned sentencing until February, warning Quinnell to prioritize legal representation:
“This is a very serious matter... You’re convicted of two very serious offences where the likely consequence is a custodial sentence.
“There will be the issue of whether I can suspend the sentence so it isn’t served immediately, but there’s a chance that isn’t the case. You are in a position of some jeopardy.”
Quinnell has four weeks to find a lawyer.