Man jailed for child sex offences after trying to meet 13-year-old girl in Swindon

A man has been sentenced to three years and three months imprisonment after sending graphic sexual images and attempting to meet what he thought to be a teenage girl.

Nathan Graham, 29, of Matson Avenue, Gloucester, appeared at Swindon Crown Court today (22/02) after pleading guilty to:

• Attempting to engage in sexual communications with a child
• Attempting to cause a child to watch sexual activity
• Arranging/facilitating the commission of penetrative sexual activity with a child
• Possession of bladed articles in a public place.

The offences took place on December 5 and 6 last year, when Graham engaged with what he thought to be a 13-year-old girl via a social media platform.

The communication was graphic and sexual, with Graham sending graphic images of himself for the girl to view.

He lied about his age, pretending to be 18, and sent maps marking out the bus stops and routes for the child as part of his planning and preparation.

Graham was detained on December 7 in Bloomsbury Park, Freshbrook, Swindon, as he was walking to meet the girl at a bus stop on Gainsborough Way.

He was arrested and subsequently charged for the offences and remanded into custody.

Today, he was jailed for the offences. He will also be on the sex offenders’ register indefinitely and the subject of a sexual harm prevention order for 15 years.

The sentence follows a joint investigation between Wiltshire Police and the South West Regional Organised Crime Unit (SWROCU).

Det Con Sarah Greenman of the Child Internet Exploitation Team (CIET) said: “There can be no place for Graham’s abhorrent behaviour in Wiltshire, let alone society.

“Graham was fully aware that he was talking to a girl purported to be just 13, and yet he sent her incredibly graphic images and videos of himself, before attempting to meet her for his own sexual gratification.

“CIET exists within Wiltshire Police to safeguard children, and we will continue to work alongside the SWROCU, where we are totally committed to ensuring dangerous individuals such as Graham are identified and brought to justice in order to protect the public.”

DI David Wells from SWROCU’s Online Investigations Team, said: “Graham is a harmful sexual predator that has rightly today been handed a significant jail sentence for his crimes.

“We are committed to supporting UK police forces in protecting children from harm, reducing risk in our communities and ensuring dangerous individuals like Graham are identified and brought to justice.”

The NSPCC website has clear and extensive advice for parents and carers, children and young people, and professionals to keeping safe online.

If you have concerns about your own use of the internet or inappropriate thoughts or behaviour about children, or you are worried about how someone you know behaves, then contact the Lucy Faithfull Foundation.