Jail for Swindon man who attempted sexual activity with child

A man from Swindon has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for offences of attempting to engage in sexual activity with a child.

Danny Gould, 27, of Whitehead Street, was sentenced at Swindon Crown Court on Friday for attempting to engage in sexual communications with a child and attempting to cause a child to engage in sexual activity.

The charges related to social media conversations between 2 April and 9 May, 2024, when Gould talked to an individual - in fact a decoy - he believed to be 14 years old, and the talk was sexual in nature.

Gould was already on the Sex Offender’s register and was charged with failing to comply with the registration requirements.

Gould was also made subject to an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order indefinitely.

Detective Constable Greenman said: "It is fortunate that the victim in this case was in fact a decoy, but this doesn’t make Gould’s offending any less serious, his intentions were clear that he sought to obtain sexual gratification.

"Gould admitted to posing as a pair of teenage siblings, embedding himself into a teen based chatroom in order to afford himself access to one of the most vulnerable groups in our society – teenagers, who are often easily influenced and misled.

"I’d ask any parent reading this – don’t shy away from learning more about what your children are doing online. Quite simply; nobody should be using the excuse of ‘not knowing enough about the internet’ anymore.

"I’d encourage you to speak openly with your children, ask about the apps and social media they are using and be more in the know to keep them safe online. Agencies such as Lucy Faithful Foundation, NCA-CEOP and Child Net are full of information and resources for parents and children on how to stay safe online."

People can also find more advice on the Government website.