CHRISTOPHER GARRARD SENTENCED IN LEICESTER FOR GROOMING UNDERAGE GIRL WHILE ON SEX OFFENDER REGISTER
| Red Rose Database
Glenfield Child Sexual Abuser
In October 2017, a man named Christopher James Garrard was involved in a case where he attempted to groom a 13-year-old girl online but ended up communicating with a police officer instead. Garrard, aged 39, was previously jailed in 2013 for downloading child pornography and for two counts of causing a child to view a sexual act. He was also under a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) and had his address listed on the sex offenders’ register.
During June and July this year, Garrard left his mother’s home in Glenfield and went off the police's radar while trying to contact a girl he believed was underage, calling herself Olivia. Prosecutor Gordon Aspden explained that Garrard was under supervision by an offender manager, a police officer who visited him on June 4. At that time, Garrard was not present, and his mother reported that he had left home five weeks earlier, also stating he would not be welcomed if he returned.
Despite these restrictions, Garrard had forged references to secure a job as an assistant manager at a pub in Rutland. On July 11, authorities from the North East Regional Special Operations Unit notified Leicestershire Police that Garrard had attempted to contact a 13-year-old girl through a monitored teenagers’ chat line. Posing as the girl, Olivia, a police officer engaged Garrard via online messages. During these communications, Garrard made sexually suggestive comments, inquiring about Olivia’s underwear and requesting her to send “teasing” photographs. He wrote, “Just imagining you, I wish I was there,” to which Olivia responded, “Don’t you mind I’m 13?” and Garrard replied, “If we keep it quiet.”
There was even a remote suggestion that he might meet her, according to Mr. Aspden. Garrard, who was at the time without a fixed address, was arrested and charged. He pleaded guilty to attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, fraudulently obtaining employment, breaching his SHPO, and failing to register as a sex offender.
Judge Nicholas Dean QC sentenced Garrard to three years and three months in prison. He also extended Garrard’s lifetime sex offender register order and SHPO. Garrard appeared via live video link from prison to the court, where the judge acknowledged that Garrard appeared remorseful. The judge stated, “You’re not unintelligent and you know the behaviour you engaged in can’t be overlooked and must be met by a custodial sentence. Your attempt to groom a child, albeit an officer posing as a child, happened when you were on a sexual harm prevention order. Your grooming of the child, as you believed her to be, was when you were prohibited by the court from that behaviour and is very serious. You also left your mother’s home without indicating where it was that you were going to reside.”
During June and July this year, Garrard left his mother’s home in Glenfield and went off the police's radar while trying to contact a girl he believed was underage, calling herself Olivia. Prosecutor Gordon Aspden explained that Garrard was under supervision by an offender manager, a police officer who visited him on June 4. At that time, Garrard was not present, and his mother reported that he had left home five weeks earlier, also stating he would not be welcomed if he returned.
Despite these restrictions, Garrard had forged references to secure a job as an assistant manager at a pub in Rutland. On July 11, authorities from the North East Regional Special Operations Unit notified Leicestershire Police that Garrard had attempted to contact a 13-year-old girl through a monitored teenagers’ chat line. Posing as the girl, Olivia, a police officer engaged Garrard via online messages. During these communications, Garrard made sexually suggestive comments, inquiring about Olivia’s underwear and requesting her to send “teasing” photographs. He wrote, “Just imagining you, I wish I was there,” to which Olivia responded, “Don’t you mind I’m 13?” and Garrard replied, “If we keep it quiet.”
There was even a remote suggestion that he might meet her, according to Mr. Aspden. Garrard, who was at the time without a fixed address, was arrested and charged. He pleaded guilty to attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, fraudulently obtaining employment, breaching his SHPO, and failing to register as a sex offender.
Judge Nicholas Dean QC sentenced Garrard to three years and three months in prison. He also extended Garrard’s lifetime sex offender register order and SHPO. Garrard appeared via live video link from prison to the court, where the judge acknowledged that Garrard appeared remorseful. The judge stated, “You’re not unintelligent and you know the behaviour you engaged in can’t be overlooked and must be met by a custodial sentence. Your attempt to groom a child, albeit an officer posing as a child, happened when you were on a sexual harm prevention order. Your grooming of the child, as you believed her to be, was when you were prohibited by the court from that behaviour and is very serious. You also left your mother’s home without indicating where it was that you were going to reside.”