BRIDGEND MAN JAILED FOR SENDING EXPLICIT IMAGES AND MESSAGES TO MINORS ONLINE
A convicted sex offender named Andrew Lapping, aged 35, from Bridgend, engaged in highly inappropriate and illegal online activities involving minors.He initially communicated with what he believed were 13-year-old girls on chatroom Chatib before moving to Snapchat, a platform where messages and images are automatically deleted.
Despite being subject to a court order prohibiting him from using such platforms and from having contact with children under 16, he proceeded with these interactions.
The court was told that Lapping asked the decoy named Niamh how old she was, and she replied she was 13.
He told her he was "lying in bed and horny" and sent her explicit images.
He also encouraged her to get her friend involved in sexual activity.
In his messages, Lapping made comments like "I bet you look super cute," and in one instance, he asked if she wanted to be in his bed.
He sent a picture of his groin and expressed a desire to have sex with her.
Further, he suggested they keep their meeting a secret, saying it would be "their little secret," and asked for nude photos.
Lapping sent further sexualized messages, including instructions on performing oral sex and expressing a wish to put his penis "inside her." She told him she had never had sex before.
He also sent a live image of himself in his underwear, offered to perform oral sex, and asked about contraception.
When asked about her friend Kayleigh, he proposed they could "chill out" together and asked her to discuss this with her friend.
The police arrested Lapping at his home on October 24, last year.
Photographs of clothing, underwear, and bedding similar to those in the images he sent were seized, and he admitted involvement in sexualized conversations with what he thought were 13-year-olds.
Further police investigation revealed that Lapping had also been involved with a second minor, with whom he also engaged in similar sexualized conversations and explicit exchanges, including sending live images and requesting explicit photos.
During the court hearing at Newport Crown Court, Lapping pleaded guilty to several charges, including attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, and sending photographs to cause alarm, distress, or humiliation.
He has previous convictions for raping a child under 13 and for attempting to communicate sexually with a child.
His lawyer, Jenny Yeo, contended that he lives an isolated life but has since been supported by a 'neurodiversity buddy.' She also expressed concern that his family would suffer, as he is the only non-disabled person in the household.
Judge Daniel Williams sentenced Lapping to three years in prison.
The judge highlighted concerns about his high risk of re-offending and potential harm to children, stating: "You said you were lonely following your breakup with your partner and weren’t thinking.
But the opposite is true.
You are of high risk of committing further offences and your risk can no longer be managed in the community.
You are a high risk of causing serious harm to male and female children." Additionally, Lapping was subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and sex offender notification requirements upon release.
