Man caught twice in his bids to meet ‘teen girls’ for sex
AMAN caught trying to meet a “teenage girl” for sex after grooming her was released on bail – then did exactly the same thing again.
Michael Munday was detained at Cardiff Central railway station by members of a paedophile-hunting group, who then caught him for a second time at Ruabon railway station, Wrexham, just weeks later.
Sentencing him at Cardiff Crown Court, Judge Tom Crowther QC said: “It is clear you develop obsessions.”
John Warren, prosecuting, said the defendant started contacting social media users he believed were teenage girls in May.
The court heard the “children” were not real and were decoys for a paedophile-hunting group.
Prosecutors said Munday used the false name Bobby Morris and started a conversation on Facebook with a girl he believed to be 14.
The defendant asked for photographs of the girl in her school uniform and then requested a picture of her wearing a “silky nightie” with nothing underneath.
Mr Warren said the decoy reminded him she was 14 and Munday said he was “okay” with her age.
The court heard he sent her an image of his genitals and asked her if she wanted to have sex.
Prosecutors said Munday suggested she could get the train to Cardiff and arranged to meet her on July 1.
He was met at the station just before 12.45pm by a group of paedophile-hunters who handed their evidence to the police.
Munday was found to have a sleeping-bag and two sets of satin underwear, which he told officers were for his girlfriend. He claimed he was in Cardiff to meet a friend.
Officers seized his phone. He denied sending images of his genitals and said a friend must have taken the picture at a party.
Munday was released on bail and went on to commit the same offence in another part of the country within 28 days.
Prosecutors said this time he used the name John Wright and sent a friend request on Facebook to a profile called Katie, who he believed was 13. The defendant moved the conversation to WhatsApp and asked “Katie” if she would like to be his girlfriend.
Mr Warren said the decoy again stated she was 13 and Munday lied about his age, saying he was 27.
The court heard he told her not to tell anyone about him, then asked if she would like to kiss and touch him.
He was intercepted by the same group of “hunters” at Ruabon railway station on July 28.
Munday was arrested and initially denied the allegations but then admitted he was responsible for the profile and messages. He told officers he wanted to “make friends” with the girls because he was lonely.
Mr Warren said he had previous convictions for harassment in relation to two ex-partners and was jailed for 18 weeks in February for three breaches of restraining orders.
The 33-year-old, from Llangollen Road in Wrexham, admitted two counts of attempting to arrange the commission of a child sex offence.
He also pleaded guilty to two counts of attempting to meet a girl after grooming.
Tim Hartland, defending, told the court his client had no previous convictions for any sexual offences and stressed these were attempts rather than the full offence.
Judge Tom Crowther jailed Munday for four years and he must register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.