BURNLEY MAN JAILED FOR ONLINE CHAT WITH 13-YEAR-OLD GIRL AND CHILD IMAGES
A 28-year-old man named Saul Cummins, who had become socially isolated after a relationship breakdown, started engaging in online chats with what he believed to be a 13-year-old girl on Snapchat, later asking her to send explicit images of herself.Prosecutors revealed that Cummins initially contacted adult females online to ‘build his confidence’ following his breakup, but eventually began communicating with a teenage girl called ‘Isabella’.
Undercover police had set up a profile of a 13-year-old girl, ‘Isabella,’ across social media to gather evidence against online paedophiles.
She confirmed to the court that Cummins contacted her on social media as ‘Dec’ and added her on Snapchat using the handle ‘Saul!!!’.
Their conversations, which started in November 2022, included lengthy messages with suggestive content.
In December 2022, police arrested Cummins at his home on Coal Clough Lane, Burnley, where he admitted ownership of the Snapchat account.
Analysis of his mobile phone uncovered that he had downloaded two Category A images (the most severe) and six each of Category B and C images of children.
Additionally, he possessed four prohibited images of children.
Cummins expressed remorse, stating he had ‘no understanding why he engaged with the decoy,’ felt ashamed, and ‘regrets everything he has done,’ and he suffers from anxiety and depression, though he has never received treatment.
He pleaded guilty to three counts of making indecent images of children, possessing a prohibited image, and attempting to engage in sexual communication with a minor.
The court noted his lack of previous convictions and good character but described his sexual interest as deviant.
Judge Richard Gioserano sentenced him to 16 months in prison, suspended for two years, requiring 40 days of rehabilitation, 150 hours of unpaid work, a 10-year sexual harm prevention order, and mandatory registration on the sex offender register for ten years.
