NIGEL BRUNSDON FROM BROCKWORTH SENTENCED AFTER ONLINE CHILD SEXUAL EXPLOITATION SCHEME

In March 2022, a man from Brockworth, Nigel Brunsdon, became the subject of a criminal investigation after being caught in an online sting operation conducted by vigilant paedophile hunters. The operation revealed disturbing details about Brunsdon's attempts to engage with what he believed were underage girls through social media platforms.

Brunsdon, who resides on Wildlife Walk in Brockworth, initiated contact with two individuals he believed to be young girls aged 12 and 13. These profiles were, in fact, fictitious and created by an online child protection group working to expose potential offenders. The Gloucester Crown Court was informed that Brunsdon's interactions with these fake profiles took place between June 27 and July 24, 2020.

According to prosecutor Joe Broadway, Brunsdon's communications quickly escalated from casual chatting to explicit exchanges. He sent hundreds of messages to the fake girls, requesting sexually explicit images of themselves. The situation worsened when Brunsdon sent two explicit images of himself, including one depicting an erect penis, to the supposed minors. His intent was clearly sexual, aiming to obtain material for his gratification.

Further, Brunsdon was found to have attempted to incite the fictitious girls, aged between 12 and 15, to engage in sexual activities that did not involve penetration. He also sought photographs of their breasts, indicating a disturbing pattern of predatory behavior. These actions were committed over a period from late June to late July 2020.

Following the investigation, Brunsdon pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including attempting to engage in sexual communication with a minor under 16 for the purpose of sexual gratification. His guilty plea also covered attempts to incite sexual activity and to obtain indecent images from minors.

Judge Michael Cullum sentenced Brunsdon to a 16-month prison term, which was suspended for 21 months. The court also ordered him to pay £425 in court costs and to participate in 35 days of rehabilitation activities aimed at addressing his behavior. Additionally, Brunsdon was subjected to a six-month alcohol treatment requirement, reflecting concerns about underlying issues that may have contributed to his offending.

As part of his sentence, Brunsdon was placed on the sex offenders register for a period of 10 years. He was also issued a sexual harm prevention order that restricts his use of the internet for the same duration, aiming to prevent further offending and protect potential victims from similar predatory behavior in the future.