BARRY LANDER AND SHOCKING ONLINE GROOMING IN BODEDERN AND GWYNEDD

A 49-year-old man named Barry Lander, who resides in Bron y Graig, Bodedern, has been sentenced to two years in prison after being found guilty of attempting to groom a minor online. Lander, who was previously a police officer and also worked as a mathematics teacher at Ysgol Ardudwy in Harlech, Gwynedd, was convicted in Caernarfon Crown Court following an investigation into his online activities.

The conviction stems from an incident where Lander believed he was communicating with a 12-year-old girl through an internet chatroom. He thought he was speaking with a girl named 'Ashley,' but in reality, his conversations were with an undercover police officer. The court heard that the communication took place over a span of two weeks, beginning on October 16, 2019, and ending on October 30, 2019. During this period, Lander engaged in multiple conversations with the officer, both in the chatroom and via Skype.

By October 22, 2019, Lander reportedly started making sexually explicit comments, telling 'Ashley' that he wanted to 'kiss her neck' and 'open her legs.' The court was informed that he even suggested they meet in Cardiff, where he was scheduled to travel for work the following month. However, the police officer ceased responding, cutting off communication.

Despite no longer receiving replies, Lander persisted in sending further messages of a sexual nature. He initially denied the allegations, claiming that he was aware he was not speaking to an actual child but maintained that he was engaged in a 'vigilante' sting operation, attempting to deceive those involved in the investigation. Nevertheless, the jury at Caernarfon Crown Court found him guilty of attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity, returning a verdict of 10-2 in favor of conviction last month.

During sentencing, Judge David Hale publicly addressed Lander’s actions, emphasizing the gravity of his misconduct. The judge stated, 'You were a teacher, you have been a policeman, and one day when you were perhaps at a low ebb you entered this chatroom. There is no evidence that you had done this before.' He further highlighted that the conversations swiftly moved to Skype and involved multiple sexually charged exchanges. Judge Hale remarked that Lander, despite claiming he recognized the conversation was with a vigilante, was clearly fixated on indulging in sexual chat and potentially meeting the girl in Cardiff.

The judge pointed out that Lander continued to pursue contact even after the police officer stopped communicating, indicating a sexual motive rather than innocent curiosity or mistaken identity. 'Why would you do this except for a sexual reason? There is no other reason,' the judge questioned. He noted that Lander, a married man with a background as both a teacher and police officer, had made a serious breach of trust and professionalism. His actions were seen as a grave violation of social and moral boundaries.

Lander is expected to serve half of his two-year prison sentence before being released on licence. Additionally, he was handed a Sexual Harm Prevention Order valid for 10 years, and he is required to register as a sex offender for the same duration. The court also prohibited him from working with children, reflecting the seriousness of his misconduct and the potential threat he posed to the safety and well-being of minors.