A Harrogate paedophile has been jailed after attempting to meet a “14-year-old boy” for sex at Mcdonald’s.
Paul Warren, 53, believed he was messaging the teenager on an app but was in fact talking to a covert investigator from the Yorkshire and Humber Organised Crime Unit. It formed part of an operation designed to tackle child abuse.
Just minutes after starting the conversation, Warren suggested meeting in a McDonald’s. He suggested they would then drive to a car park and engage in sexual activity.
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One hour later, he arrived and was immediately arrested. His car was also found nearby. He was later charged with arranging to commit a child sex offence.
Since his arrest, he has pleaded guilty and yesterday, he was sentenced at Teesside Crown Court to 16 months in jail, suspended for 24 months. He was also ordered to sign the sex offenders’ register.
Detective Constable Kerri Jones, of the North Yorkshire Police Online Abuse Team, said: “Warren’s intentions towards children were distressingly clear.
“He suggested a sexual encounter within minutes of starting a conversation and it was obvious from his actions that he had every intention of meeting a teenaged boy so he could sexually abuse him.
“The Online Abuse Team works proactively and sometimes covertly to identify those who pose a risk to children. And if we hadn’t apprehended Warren during this operation, it’s possible he could have engaged with a real child and carried out his plan.
“It’s reassuring to know one more sexual predator has been brought before the courts and dealt with.”
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