COLIN DEAN FROM MELDRETH CAUGHT TRYING TO MEET FAKE BOY IN BEDFORD

In a serious case of online grooming and attempted child exploitation, Colin Dean, aged 51, from Meldreth near Royston, was apprehended by police after attempting to meet a supposed underage boy in Bedford. The incident unfolded when an undercover police officer, known as Pat, posed as a 14-year-old boy from Bedford on the popular gay dating app Grindr, aiming to catch individuals seeking to engage in illegal activities with minors.

On February 14 of this year, the officer created a fake profile under the alias Mark_14, utilizing a mobile phone provided for the operation. The Crown Court in Luton heard that Dean initiated contact with this fictitious profile, engaging in explicit conversations that quickly escalated in nature. Prosecutor Michael Speak detailed that Dean sent four explicit photographs, including images of his genitalia and two men engaged in oral sex, to the supposed 14-year-old.

During the exchanges, Dean inquired about the boy’s age, to which he received confirmation that he was indeed 14. The conversation then progressed to arranging a meeting, with Dean expressing his intent to meet the boy in Bedford the following day. Law enforcement officers, monitoring the situation, arrested Dean in his car upon his arrival in Bedford. During questioning, Dean claimed he was in the town to meet someone and appeared visibly nervous, described by officers as 'very nervous and red-faced.'

Dean, who resides on Bell Close in Meldreth near Royston, appeared before the court to face sentencing after admitting to attempting to meet a boy under 16 for sexual purposes, following grooming behavior. It was revealed that Dean had a prior conviction from Cambridge magistrates in 1991 for gross indecency, indicating a history of sexual misconduct.

His defense attorney, Richard Padley, argued that the offense was relatively minor compared to similar cases, emphasizing that Dean had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity. He also pointed out that no actual young boy received any of the messages, implying that the case involved no direct harm to a real minor.

However, Judge Barbara Mensah sentenced Dean to 18 months in prison, underscoring the severity of the offense. She stated, “If you had met a real Mark, you would have engaged in sexual activity with him.” The judge also imposed a sexual harm prevention order, explicitly prohibiting Dean from having any contact with individuals under the age of 16, aiming to prevent any future offenses of this nature.