Loner caught by online hunters
A LONER was snared by paedophile hunters after turning up to meet who he thought was a 15-year-old boy following online discussions about organising a threesome with another child.
When Graham West arrived at the meeting point, in possession of condoms, he was confronted by Dark Justice.
The group had set up a decoy profile on dating app Grindr in an effort to catch those looking to engage sexually with children.
Newcastle Crown Court heard West had started exchanging messages with the profile of the “boy” in November 2016 on gay dating site Grindr and moved the conversations on to Whatsapp and Kik.
Philip Morley, prosecuting, said West had been told he was talking to a 15-year-old but carried on with the conversation anyway.
When he turned up to meet the child in January 2017 he was confronted by members from the organisation, who had alerted the police.
Mr Morley said: “The defendant, during these conversations, makes reference to wanting to arrange a threesome with another 15-year-old male.
“The conversations continued throughout November and December though in the main they were not overtly sexual.
“The defendant makes a number of requests to meet.”
The court heard when West turned up to meet the teen boy he was arrested and found to have two condoms.
During a police interview, West said he thought he was acting as a “mentor” for the boy and the sexual comments had been in “jest.”
He said the condoms had been picked up at a sexual health clinic and he had no plan to use them.
West, of Canterbury Way, Wideopen, North Tyneside, pleaded guilty to attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming.
Judge Sarah Mallett sentenced him to a community order for three years with sex offender programme requirements.
West must abide by a sexual harm prevention order and sign the sex offenders register for five years.
The judge told him: “I think work needs to be done with you.”
Sue Hirst, defending, said West, who appeared in court using a wheelchair, has significant health problems and lives an “isolated existence.”
Miss Hirst added: “He deeply regrets allowing the situation to go as far as it did.
“Fortunately there was not a real 15-year-old behind the conversation.
“Mr West has learned his lesson. There has been no further trouble since this, which was three and a half years ago.”
The court heard there was no real explanation for the delay in the case being concluded.
Business Reporter
THE makers of ‘Newcastle’s best burger’ are just two weeks away from opening their first bricks and mortar base in Newcastle city centre.
Cult burger company Meat:Stack has been serving up American-style cheeseburgers for more than four years, having started out with a simple stall at the Quayside weekend market.
Now, having grown from perfecting their patties at a pop-up in No.28, then moving to the Dog and Parrot and also drawing regulars to their popular Grainger Market unit, they are to become the latest business to form part of the transformation of Newcastle’s Bigg Market.
The foodie firm, launched by Charlie Mair, Allan Hyslop and Tom Westman, is moving into the former George Rye and Sons building at 41-43 Groat Market, on the south-west side of the market square, with the aim of opening on July 4.
Meat:Stack was among the first vendors at the inaugural Bigg Foodie Friday event, open-air food markets held when the Bigg Market refurbishment works were first completed last May.
City centre improvement district company NE1 introduced Meat:Stack to their new landlord and encouraged it to consider the Bigg Market as the location for the next phase of their development.
Tom Westman of Meat:Stack said: “The new restaurant on the Groat Market will play a significant role in our business development.
“After our success in the Grainger Market we were keen to find a permanent home and we have worked closely with NE1 to find what we feel will be the perfect place for our growing business.”
The building’s restoration has been funded by the owners, the Rye family, with support from NE1 and The National Lottery Heritage Fund.
Michael Rye, the fourth generation of the Rye family said: “The building was empty and unoccupied only 12 months ago - with NE1’s help and funding from The National Lottery Heritage Fund we have been able to renovate and we are now excited to welcome Meat:Stack as our newest tenant.
“The Rye family’s association with the Bigg Market goes back to 1879 and the building has been in the family since 1922 when it was bought by my great-grandfather for his expanding shoe making and sales business George Rye and Sons.
“Times have changed but the Bigg Market still holds a special place in our company’s history and it is wonderful to see the building and the Bigg Market enjoying a new resurgence.”
Alex Slack, Bigg Market Project Manager at NE1 Ltd said: “We are delighted to welcome Meat:Stack back to take up permanent residence in the Bigg Market as the area continues its rejuvenation.
“They are an excellent addition. Of all of the projects we have undertaken so far this has arguably been the most rewarding.
“When we began discussions with the property owner in 2017 there was a reticence to commit investment in what was essentially a vacant property.
“Through conversations with Meat:Stack we knew what they were looking for and were able to make the necessary introductions.
“In a short space of the time the property has gone from vacant and in need of attention to fully occupied and beautifully restored.”
The redevelopment of the Bigg Market has been made possible by NE1’s successful bid for £1.6m from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to transform the area, with match funding from NE1 Ltd, Newcastle City Council and property owners.
The rejuvenation has already welcomed new arrivals including Revolucion de Cuba, Market Shaker, Hibou Blanc and WC Newcastle.