KIDINGTON CAR VALETER BRENDAN MALONE SENTENCED FOR ONLINE SEX OFFENSES INVOLVING CHILDREN

In June 2022, Brendan Malone, a 56-year-old man residing in Kidlington, was sentenced to prison after engaging in disturbing online conversations with what he believed were underage children. Unbeknownst to him, the profiles he interacted with were operated by volunteers working for a paedophile hunting organization called Saving Our Children Online, who had set up the profiles to catch predators.

Malone’s actions came to light after the group alerted the police, leading to his arrest on April 14. During the police investigation, officers discovered that Malone had been communicating with two minors through online platforms, with the intent to groom and exploit them sexually.

According to prosecutor Charles Digby, Malone had offered to pay for a taxi to bring one of the supposed children to his home, instructing her to lie to her mother about her whereabouts. The conversation with the girl, who claimed to be 14 years old, began with Malone complimenting her, telling her she was ‘sexy and gorgeous’. He then proceeded to ask her personal questions about her life, including whether she had a boyfriend or had watched pornography.

Malone also requested explicit pictures from the girl and warned her to keep their conversations secret. He showed an inappropriate interest in her family members, asking for pictures of her mother and details about her living arrangements, such as whether she shared a bathroom with her sister and what she wore to bed. At one point, he told her that if he were younger, he would be happy to be her boyfriend. He even sent her a photo of a man holding his genitals, although it was unclear whether the image depicted Malone himself.

Furthermore, Malone invited the girl to stay over at his house, offering to pay for transportation, and asked if she could keep a secret. The conversation revealed his intent to meet her in person for sexual purposes.

The second target was a profile supposedly belonging to a 13-year-old boy. Malone inquired about his sexual orientation, asking if he was ‘straight or gay’. When the conversation moved to WhatsApp, an encrypted messaging app, Malone sent the boy sexually explicit messages, including questions about showering with other boys, discussions of sex acts, and even a pornographic video.

Following his arrest, Malone was found to possess explicit DVDs with titles such as ‘Student Bodies 2’ and ‘Bare Lessons’. During his police interview, he admitted to the allegations fully. Malone, who was working as a car valeter in Kidlington, had no prior convictions.

He pleaded guilty at the magistrates’ court to attempting to meet a girl after grooming her and attempting to incite a boy to engage in sexual activity. Judge Michael Gledhill QC sentenced him to two years in prison, along with a 10-year sexual harm prevention order. Additionally, Malone will be registered as a sex offender for the next decade, reflecting the seriousness of his offenses and the ongoing risk he poses to the community.