Lochaber man travelled 250 miles hoping to meet young girl

NEWCASTLE Crown Court has heard how Kinlochleven man Paul Taylor made contact with what he thought was a 13-year-old girl online and then travelled 250 miles to Newcastle to meet her – only to be snared by an internet paedophile hunters group calling itself Dark Justice.

Taylor was using the name Frozen Fan on a website for under-16s when he believed he was communicating with the girl.

The 48-year-old told the ‘fake’ girl her dental braces were ‘sexy’ and arranged to meet her in Byker, Newcastle.

But after driving all the way from Fort William to see her, he was confronted by paedophile hunters Dark Justice and arrested.

Prosecutor Jolyon Perks told Newcastle Crown Court last week that it was in June 2016 that the decoy profile was set up and Taylor made contact in a chatroom for under-16s.

The conversation then moved to WhatsApp and Taylor soon turned the conversation to matters of a sexual nature.

After seeing a picture, purportedly of the child but actually of an adult, Taylor said: ‘Oh wow you are so pretty.’ Then, referring to dental braces, he added: ‘Love them, they are sexy.’

Mr Perks said: ‘The defendant constantly made reference to the fact the profile picture was sexy. He requested more images.

‘The conversation continued over the next few hours.

‘The defendant sent pictures of himself and various Disney Frozen characters which appeared to be sexual in nature.’

Mr Perks said: ‘Several times he suggested he was turned on or wanted to kiss the girl.’

He travelled to meet her at Asda in Byker and continued to message her on his way.

Mr Perks said: ‘He made requests for her to dress older when she met him. He told her she could change her mind at any time.’

When Taylor arrived in the Byker area, he was confronted and arrested.

Taylor, of Foyers Road, Kinlochleven, pleaded guilty to attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming and was given a three-year community order.

He was also made subject to a sexual harm prevention order for seven years and must sign the sex offenders’ register for the same period.

Judge Sarah Mallett told him: ‘You engaged in contact with what was in fact a group posing as a child on social media.

‘There was a conversation for 45 minutes before moving on to WhatsApp and the conversation took on a sexual tone.

‘You sent pictures of yourself and of modified Disney characters.’

The judge added: ‘You have demonstrated genuine remorse. There was an attempt to commit an offence that was impossible.’

Tony Cornberg, mitigating, said Taylor, who appeared in court via a video-link to Scotland, had no previous convictions and was a ‘tragic and lonely person’ who had spent five months in custody on remand.

Mr Cornberg added: ‘He wants me to say he is completely embarrassed and devastated, and apologises to the court and anyone affected for any distress and inconvenience caused.

‘He has had a lot of support since moving back to Scotland. He had a psychiatrist visit him yesterday.’