Geddington paedophile sent sick messages to '14-year-old boy'

A Geddington paedophile who used Facebook to send vile messages to what he believed was a 14-year-old boy has been spared from prison.

Gregory Branston thought he was speaking to a teenager when he sent pictures of himself in his underwear and told him how to perform a sex act.

But all along he was messaging online paedophile hunters who used a decoy profile before another group confronted him at his home.

On Tuesday (November 22) the 63-year-old was sentenced to a community order and put on the register for sex offenders.

Northampton Crown Court heard Branston, of Queen Street, was using the social media site in September when he first made contact.

The person behind the decoy profile – from group Saving Our Children Online – made clear the ‘boy’ was 14 but the conversation became more sexualised.

Prosecuting, Phillip Plant said Branston asked the ‘boy’ whether he had performed a sex act.

Mr Plant said: "Having been told the decoy does not he went on to give him some advice about how to achieve that."

Branston also said: "Try it, you will like it."

He sent images of himself in his underwear and asked for pictures in return. The court heard that there was some suggestion that he wanted to meet up.

Another paedophile hunter group, Phoenix Guardians of the Innocent, went to confront Branston and he was arrested.

He made full admissions when interviewed by police before pleading guilty to attempted sexual communication with a child and attempting to cause a child to engage in sexual activity.

Mitigating, William Forber-Heyward said Branston, who took a holdall into the dock anticipating a possible prison sentence, felt isolated and does not have much by way of friendships or contact. He added that he is capable of rehabilitation.

Mr Forber-Heyward said: "He is deeply sorry for what he did.

"He has set out from the very outset that he understands he was wrong."

Sentencing, Her Honour Judge Rebecca Crane said she accepted that Branston he had been genuinely ashamed.

He was sentenced to an 18-month community order with 40 days of rehabilitation activities and will spend 10 years on the register for sex offenders.

He will also be subject to a 10-year sexual harm prevention order.