WESTON-SUPER-MARE PAEDOPHILE SENTENCED AFTER ONLINE GROOMING AND ATTEMPTED MEET-UP
A paedophile arranged to meet a 13-year-old girl for sex at Weston-super-Mare’s Grand Pier, just hours after he had appeared in court.But the 'victim' Bradley Alford had been grooming was an undercover police officer - and he was arrested in the seaside town on September 15.
The 19-year-old, of Drove Road, had appeared in court on the morning of his arrest, having pleaded not guilty to other offences.
However, what Alford did not realize was that the 'girl', called Jade, was an undercover police officer who had recorded all of their online conversations.
He appeared at Bristol Crown Court on December 1 to be sentenced for a range of offences which included possession of indecent photos of children, attempting to meet a child, inciting a child to send sexual images and engaging in sexual activities with a child.
During the hearing, it emerged that police first learned of Alford’s crimes when he was arrested following a stabbing at a house party in Bristol in July 2016.
He had used a kitchen knife during a street fight with another teenager, Brandond Lloyd, after arguing on Facebook.
While in police custody, officers examined Alford’s phone and found images of young girls posing naked or semi-naked.
They also downloaded his internet history, which revealed he had visited various child pornography websites, and there was evidence of Alford inciting girls – one of whom was only 10 years old – to engage in online sexual activity.
Prosecutor Robin Shellard stated: “They were clearly at school and Mr Alford wanted to meet them for sexual purposes knowing their age, and knowing that was under the age of 16.” It was also disclosed that Alford thought he was meeting a 13-year-old girl called Jade at Weston-super-Mare’s Grand Pier but was intercepted by police during his attempt to meet her.
Alford traveled to Weston-super-Mare to meet the girl but ran when police appeared, only to be detained shortly after.
He responded with no comment to all questions.
The case further revealed that police had created a fake Facebook profile for a girl called Jade, who added Alford and soon started messaging him.
The conversations quickly turned sexual as Alford demanded images and tried to arrange a meet-up, even asking her to wear something cute or her school uniform and requesting her underwear.
He also expressed interest in making pornographic films to sell.
After his initial arrest, police bailed Alford but continued surveillance, eventually apprehending him when he traveled to Weston-super-Mare to meet the girl.
Alford attempted to run but was caught after a short chase.
His defense argued that he was a young man raised without a mother under social services, and this was his first time in custody.
The judge sentenced him to six years in a young offenders’ institution for both stabbing and sexual offences, and imposed a sexual harm prevention order and a restraining order to prevent contact with victims.
