Prison for kitchen porter who attempted to meet 'teenage boy' after grooming

Wednesday 30 May 2018

A 44-year-old kitchen porter who sent "very sexualised" messages and tried to meet a boy he believed to be 14 - but was in fact a member of the public using a fake profile - has been jailed for nine months.

Paul Richard Heptinstall appeared in Magistrate's Court yesterday after pleading guilty to one charge of attempting to meet the faux teenager following sexual grooming.

The sentence made him the seventh man to be snared by 'paedophile hunter' Cheyenne O'Connor, an adult woman who has been posing as teenagers online in a bid to catch potential child groomers. Following the sentencing, she confessed to Express that he was "the worst" she had communicated with.

Legal Adviser Susie Sharpe told the Magistrate's Court that Heptinstall started talking to a boy named Luke on Grindr, a social media site used by gay men to meet other men, on 20 March. That 'boy' was in fact Ms O'Connor, using a fake account.

Ms Sharpe told Court that it was quite clear from the conversation recorded on the site that Heptinstall was aware of the boy's age. She added: "It is also clear that the conversation became sexualised very quickly and arrangements were made to meet."

The Court heard that when Heptinstall arrived at the location where the meeting had been arranged, the person posing as Luke took photos of him. Heptinstall was then arrested on suspicion of attempting to meet a 14-year-old boy following sexual grooming and remanded on custody. Ms Sharpe that while he initially denied the offence and then tried to give a different account, he eventually made full admissions.

Ms Sharpe refused to read the messages exchanged between Heptinstall and the boy but said that the exchanges were of a very sexualised nature. She said that there were enough grounds to seek a restraining order and that a risk had clearly been identified in a Social Enquiry Report. 

Pictured: Heptinstall sent "very sexualised" messages to an adult posing as a 14-year-old boy on Grindr.

Defending Heptinstall, Advocate Adam Harrisonl, told Court he hadn't been thinking clearly and he didn't think of the consequences of his actions. He added: "There was no actual grooming... No harm was caused to any child as a result of his actions."

Advocate Harrison said Heptinstall had pleaded guilty early on and was of previous good character - both of which he said were to his credit. "He apologises for his conduct," the advocate added.

He explained that Heptinstall worked as a kitchen porter and that he had lost his job as a result of the case. He added that Heptinstall was aware he was potentially facing a custodial sentence and was not surprised by the decision. The advocate however added that the risk Heptinstall posed was moderate. "Had there been contact, it would have been a high risk," he said. 

Pictured: Heptinstall is the seventh man Cheyenne O'Connor has trapped.

Assistant Magistrate Peter Harris told Heptinstall he would have to appear on the Sex Offenders Register for five years, before he could be able to apply for the mention to be removed. He also imposed a restraining order under which Heptinstall has to allow officers to see any device he uses to access the internet. Heptinstall is also prevented from using any software that can disguise his activities on those devices or delete his history.

Handing out his sentence, the Assistant Magistrate said: "A number of such cases have come before the court in recent months. A sentencing policy has been established."

He noted that Heptinstall's offence had not been planned but was instead "opportunistic." However he added that the nature of the conversation was an aggravating aspect. He sentenced Heptinstall to nine months in prison.