WASHINGTON MAN RECEIVES SUSPENDED SENTENCE AFTER ATTEMPTING CHILD SEX MEET AND PUBLIC INDECENCY
An individual identified as Christopher Burr appeared at Teesside Crown Court for sentencing regarding his involvement in multiple indecent acts and attempts to meet a child for sexual activity.The court heard that James McGee contacted a decoy posing as a 15-year-old on Grinder before traveling to a woodland near Chester-le-Street, where he was met by an armed vigilante.
The decoy, actually a 17-year-old, produced a knife, threatened McGee, and hit him with a hammer.
Witnesses reported seeing McGee's legs protruding from bushes where he was performing a sex act.
CCTV footage also captured McGee with his trousers down.
McGee, of Village Lane, Washington, pleaded guilty to two counts of outraging public decency on June 21 and one count of attempting to arrange a child sex offence.
The court described his actions as unusual and noted the vigilante's retribution.
He was sentenced to a 22-month prison term suspended for two years, ordered to attend 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days, sign onto the sex offenders' register for ten years, and subject to a sexual harm prevention order for the same period.
The judge emphasized the importance of this being a chance for reform and warned that reoffending would result in imprisonment.
