Paedophile hunters exposed a pervert barman after he sent indecent images to someone he thought was a 15-year-old boy.
Richard Overton began talking to the Grindr user, who went by the name ‘TeenChavvyLad’, on February 27, 2024. The user told Overton he was a 15-year-old boy who had not yet come out to family and friends.
The person he was talking to was actually a decoy posing as the youth to catch predators online, Preston Crown Court heard.
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Prosecuting, Peter Barr said that over a week, Overton told the boy he was ‘sexy’ and said: “I bet you look good in your school uniform.” He sent indecent images and asked the boy to do the same, but the decoy said he was ‘far too shy’.
Overton asked the boy about his sexual preferences and when the decoy replied he was a virgin, Overton said it wasn’t a problem and spoke of sexual things he wanted to do.
On May 5, 2024, the decoy went to Overton’s home in Blackpool after tracing him through his IP address. Overton was confronted on his doorstep. Video footage of his arrest was shared online.
Amanda Johnson, defending, said he was ‘extremely embarrassed and ashamed’. He has lost both his job at bars in Blackpool and has been shunned by his parents and siblings, she added.
Overton pleaded guilty to attempted sexual communication with a child, Lancs Lives reports.
Judge Heather Lloyd told him: “You didn’t know that the person you were in contact with was an adult. You believed it was a child of 15, nearly 16. When he declined to send pictures to you, you told him no-one else was going to see them as you always lock your phone with a password.
“It is the speed in which you turned this conversation into sexual conversation which is concerning”, the judge said. “It is also concerning that when you spoke to the author of the presentence report you denied sexual intention or gratification was your motive.”
The judge said a guilty plea showed this was ‘clearly untrue’, adding: “You said you hadn’t realised the child’s age when it is there in black and white in the messages. You appear to have no real insight into the damage that could be done to a child in these circumstances and have engages in these conversations without any regard for the consequences.”
Judge Lloyd sentenced Overton to eight months suspended for 18 months and made a 10 year sexual harm prevention order. She also ordered him to carry out 26 days of rehabilitation activities, a sex offenders treatment program and a drug treatment plan, as she said cannabis use appeared to underpin his offending.
