MAN WHO GROOMED KIDS ON ROBLOX AND FORTNITE JAILED
A 22-year-old man from Bristol has received a prison sentence after admitting to contacting and grooming minors through online gaming platforms.Kieran Francis, residing on Fishponds Road, pleaded guilty to multiple charges including two counts of causing a child to view images of sexual activity, four counts of encouraging a child to engage in sexual acts, one count of attempting to meet a child after grooming, three counts of possessing indecent images (covering categories A, B, and C), and one count of distributing such images.
He was sentenced to five years in prison at Bristol Crown Court.
Additionally, he will be registered as a sex offender for life and be subjected to an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
The court heard that Francis first attracted police attention in February 2025.
He was subsequently arrested in April 2025, during which authorities confiscated his devices and interviewed him.
He was released on bail with restrictions preventing contact with minors while investigations continued.
During these inquiries, authorities reviewed Francis’ electronic devices and discovered over 1,000 indecent images of children.
Simultaneously, three other police forces reported similar concerns that he had been communicating online with three additional minors.
It was established that Francis had used children’s video games as a means to establish contact and befriended them through private messaging apps.
Following this, he was re-arrested on August 9, 2025, charged, and held in custody as the case proceeded.
