This is Bristol --A REGISTERED sex offender from Fishponds who "groomed" a child online before meeting her for hugs and kisses has been jailed for 18 months.
John McBurney chatted to the child – who lived outside Bristol – on Twitter about the television programme Deal Or No Deal.
After they learned that he was 46 and she was 14 they flirted and swapped intimate photos of themselves, Bristol Crown Court heard.
McBurney was arrested after police were informed he had downloaded child-abuse photos. Further investigations established his improper relationship with the girl.
McBurney, 46, of Martin Court, pleaded guilty to two charges of meeting a child following sexual grooming, two charges of having sexual activity with a child and two charges of possessing indecent photographs of a child.
The Recorder of Bristol, His Honour Judge Neil Ford QC, told him: "Your pre-sentence report says you have a developed capacity to manipulate under-age girls for your sexual gratification. You are deemed as medium risk of causing serious harm."
McBurney was made the subject of an indefinite Sexual Offences Prevention Order, banning him from unsupervised contact with youngsters.
He was barred from working with children and told to reregister as a sex offender for ten years.
Richard Posner, prosecuting, said in March 2009 McBurney was convicted of 23 offences of distributing and making indecent images of children. The court heard he had engaged in an internet chat with an undercover policeman via MSN and sent pictures of young teenage girls. Police who swooped on him found he had a large number of indecent images.He was jailed for six months.
Mr Posner said in August last year McBurney struck up an online relationship with the 14-year-old girl. During the relationship police investigated McBurney for downloading child-abuse images, and inquiries led to the girl. In the meantime he visited her seven times, the court heard.
Mr Posner said: "During these visits the extent of any sexual contact both defendant and victim say occurred was that they had kissed and cuddled on walks or in his car near where she lived. He had bought her gifts, a signed photo from Deal Or No Deal, a key ring with a bear on it and one of his hooded tops. On her own admission (the child) believes she had fallen in love with the defendant."
Police found the paedophile had bombarded the child with text messages, on one day sending 40 in four hours, the court was told.
A friend of the child told her teacher what she knew about the "older man". When the victim was spoken to she said she had kept quiet because she had not wanted to be judged for the friendship. Police from the girl's area linked up with police in Bristol and the spotlight fell on McBurney.
McBurney expressed "genuine regret" for what he had done. Reported by This is 1 day ago.