Paedophile snared by undercover officer
A PAEDOPHILE drove to Hollywood Bowl to meet a 14-year-old girl for sex, a court has heard.
David Spencer, 43, had two condoms in his wallet and had put a blanket and duvet in the back of his Mercedes Sprinter van on July 18 of last year.
But police arrested him as soon as he got out of his van and Spencer immediately told them: “I know what this is about.”
The 43-year-old, who works as a driver, had been chatting online to an undercover cop – not the underage teenager he thought he was arranging to meet.
Teesside Crown Court has heard that Spencer had arranged to meet the ‘girl’ on Kik messenger; first suggesting to her that they meet up at Roseberry Topping.
But when the girl had replied that, “a walk would tire me out” they arranged to meet at Teesside Park.
In a series of perverted messages, Spencer, who separated from his partner last summer, told the undercover officer – posing as a youngster – that there was space in the back of his van, “so you’ll be comfortable.”
He told her that it is always better
to have a spare condom before going onto ask how her day at school had been.
Spencer, of Clifford Street, Langley Park in Durham, pleaded guilty to attempting to meet a child following
grooming.
The court heard that he had one previous conviction for a driving offence in 1999.
Gary Wood, defending, told the court that Spencer is, “incredibly ashamed” of what he has done and, “found it very difficult to confess to the thoughts he was having during the conversations.”
Mr Wood said his client had temporarily split up from his partner at the time of his offending, and had started to drink and use cannabis as he descended into depression.
The couple, who have no children, have since reconciled and Spencer has stopped drinking.
Mr Wood said that Spencer insists that he would not have gone through with it, if the girl had been real and he had met up with her; although he admitted to, “a level of sexual gratification during the conversations.”
Mr Wood said that Spencer’s partner is standing by him throughout the court proceedings and his employer is keeping his job open for him.
But judge Jamie Hill told Spencer that an immediate prison sentence was necessary: “Over a period of twelve days in July last year you indulged in grooming behaviour towards a person who you thought was a 14-year-old girl.
“You were talking to an adult police officer.
“The fact that you went to that meeting with two condoms and bedding in the van proves that you were expecting to have sexual intercourse.
“The insidious way in which you conducted the grooming behaviour must be dealt with by a custodial sentence.”
Spencer was handed a 10-month sentence and was made subject to a 10-year sexual harm prevention order – which prevents him from having unsupervised contact with children. He will also have to comply with a police notification order for 10 years.