Paedophile Avoids Jail after Sending Sick Messages to ‘Boy’

Paedophile Avoids Jail after Sending Sick Messages to 'Boy'

Paedophile Avoids Jail after Sending Sick Messages to 'Boy' Credit: Pixabay

PAEDOPHILE avoids jail after sending sick messages to ‘boy’ he believed to be only 14 years old.

Despite sending perverted messages to an underage ‘boy’, a paedophile has avoided jail. The perverted messages were actually sent to an undercover cop although the paedophile believed he was talking to a real 14-year-old boy.

Gary Fitzpatrick, of Wythenshawe, aged 53, had believed he was chatting with a 14-year-old boy on a chat site. The “boy” had gone by the name of “ConfusedLad”, but the account was actually created by an undercover police officer. The site had a minimum age requirement of 18 years old and “ConfusedLad” soon announced that he was only 14 years old when he was messaged.

Manchester Crown Court heard how the account was created in February 2019 and almost immediately the defendant using an account named “Manc” started to message. Even though the “boy” said that he was 14 and said he was too young for him, the conversation carried on.

On hearing the boy was only 14 years old Fitzpatrick replied and said, “Fourteen, nice. What makes you think you’re too young for me LOL.” He then went on to send further indecent messages.

During sentencing Recorder Nicholas Clarke QC told Fitzpatrick that, “You were engaging with somebody you believed to be 14 in sexualised conversation – as far as you were concerned you were speaking with a boy.

“In these circumstances the public would expect and the court will impose a custodial sentence, however I am persuaded by the pre-sentence report if you were to serve a relatively short custodial term, it would have minimal effect.

“There are little or not opportunities for education, rehabilitation or employment whilst in a custodial setting and it would do something more useful to be punished in the community.”

On March 5, Fitzpatrick was given a 10-month prison sentence but this was suspended for the period of two years. He will have to complete 120 hours’ unpaid work along with rehabilitation activities.


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Alex
Written by

Alex Glenn

Originally from the UK, Alex is based in Almeria and is a web reporter for The Euro Weekly News covering international and Spanish national news. Got a news story you want to share? Then get in touch at editorial@euroweeklynews.com.

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