ISLE OF WIGHT TEACHER SENTENCED FOR SENDING EXPLICIT PHOTOS TO DECOY
AN ONLINE paedophile hunters group helped snare a teacher from the Isle of Wight, who had bombarded a 'decoy', he believed was a real teenage girl, with sexually explicit photos of himself.James Grant, of Bridgestock Terrace, Ryde, appeared at the Isle of Wight Crown Court to learn his fate after he admitted engaging in sexual communication with a child and attempting to cause a child, aged 13 to 15, to watch sexual activity.
The 45-year-old made initial contact with who he believed was a 14-year-old called Georgia — a decoy profile created by the activist group in August last year.
Grant asked to exchange photos via an online chat service, giving his true age but claiming he worked at a school as a cleaner, rather than his actual role as a teacher, said prosecuting lawyer Jane Kelly.
Communication was on a daily basis, which turned sexual, with Grant sending naked photos of himself — switching to WhatsApp in early December, seeking video calls for explicit chat and, in one instance, to perform a sex act on himself.
On December 30, group members traveled to the Island and captured him on video admitting his criminal behaviour.
In total, Grant sent 108 images — 44 of which showed him naked and 43 explicit in nature.
Grant, with no previous convictions, fully admitted to the police.
"No actual child was involved, but he was unaware he was not in contact with a 14-year-old girl, but rather, a decoy," said Miss Kelly.
"It was by luck, rather than judgement, a real child was not damaged." His lawyer Jason Halsey said the act had been "a difficult admission" for Grant, citing his mental health problems, loneliness, and lack of self-worth during the offending.
Grant was sentenced by Judge Richard Shepherd to 18 months in jail, suspended for two years, with 55 rehabilitation sessions and £425 in costs.
He was also ordered to be subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for ten years, which prohibits him from working with anyone aged 16 and under, and he was placed on the Sex Offenders' Register for the same period.
