LECHLADE MAN SENTENCED IN ONLINE PAEDOPHILE STING
A 69-YEAR-OLD Lechlade man, John Moth, was caught during a police 'sting' operation aimed at catching online paedophiles.He was found to have attempted to communicate sexually with police decoys posing as underage girls on social media.
Moth engaged in conversations with a girl named Bella in Autumn 2019 and with another decoy, Sophia, under the age of 16, in late spring 2021.
It was during these encounters that police confirmed the internet address linked to the social media accounts was at Moth's residence.
He admitted to attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child under 16 for his own sexual gratification between November 4 and December 12, 2019, and again between April 21 and June 25, 2021.
Moth pleaded guilty and was sentenced at Cheltenham Magistrates Court to a 28-week prison term suspended for two years, with 35 rehabilitation activity days, costs of £135, and a victim surcharge of £122.
Additionally, he was ordered to be subject to a 10-year sexual harm prevention order and to register as a sex offender for the same period.
