Nuneaton man jailed for grooming 13 year old girl
A man who travelled to meet a 13-year-old girl following sexually explicit conversations online has been jailed for two years and four months.
Alan Stringer, 64, of Hanover Glebe, Nuneaton was sentenced last week at Warwick Crown Court after pleading guilty to two counts of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child and one count of attempting to meet a girl under 16 years of age following grooming.
Stringer’s predatory behaviour first came to light earlier in the year. An investigation by officers from the Warwickshire Police Online Child Sexual Exploitation Team and other law enforcement agencies established he had been having sexually explicit conversations online with someone purporting to be a 12-year-old girl.
Officers executed a warrant at Stringer’s house in March, arrested him and seized his electronic devices.
While Stringer was under investigation for this offence information came to light that he was having sexual communications with a girl purporting to be 13-years-old and that he had made arrangements to meet her.
When he travelled to meet the girl in Derby he was intercepted by officers from the Online Child Sexual Exploitation Team and arrested.
Stringer was also given a 10 year sex offender notification requirement and a 10 year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO), and ordered to pay a £190 victim surcharge.
Detective Constable Emma Pritchard from the Warwickshire Police Online Child Sexual Exploitation Team said: “Stringer showed clear predatory behaviour in his communications, frequently engaging in sexual conversation.
“Fortunately, we were able to identify and intercept him before he could cause any harm to children.
“This case should send a clear warning to people who do or are tempted to engage is this kind of activity. You might feel you are anonymous sitting behind your computer screen but we are actively looking for you and when we find you we will take action.”
Help is available for people concerned about their thoughts or behaviour around children. The Lucy Faithfull Foundation is a registered charity that provides support and advice to offenders and their families.
A project by the Lucy Faithfull Foundation, ‘Stop it now!’ has a confidential free phone helpline for instant advice and support. Call 0808 1000 900 or email.