Pervert arranged to meet underage teen at Beeston Subway
A sex offender groomed a 14-year-old boy and arranged to meet him at Subway in Beeston with the intention of having sex with him. Nottingham Crown Court heard how Neil Spencer told the teen “it might hurt if it’s the first time” when they had been chatting online. But when the defendant arrived at the rendezvous, instead of being greeted by ‘Josh’ he was, instead, confronted by a group of self-styled paedophile hunters. Now the 45-year-old is tasting custody for the first time in his life.
Jailing him for two years, Judge Michael Auty KC said: “The situation was that a group of individuals, known colloquially to some as ‘paedophile hunters,’ were trying to entrap those who have a sexual interest in children and you were caught in their web. The reality was there was not a real child but you did not know that.
“A persona called ‘Josh’ was created but in stark contrast to many conversations I have seen in these courts, there was no pressure from you on ‘Josh’ to initially participate in any sexual activity. But the conversation then turned sexual with discussion about potential pain (he might feel).
“What makes the offence more serious is that you attenuated to meet ‘Josh’ and that demonstrates a potential risk that this court simply can’t overlook. There can be no more sacred duty of the court than to protect the interests of children.
“And when you say in your pre-sentence report you did not have a sexual interest in children that raises with me the very real risk you are not accepting the person you truly are.”
Tony Stanford, prosecuting, said a group called Stop UK created a fictional 14-year-old called Josh on social media in early 2024. He said Spencer made contact with the profile and they initially began talking innocently online for a while.
The prosecutor said the conversation then turned sexual, starting with chats about hugging and kissing and then moving on to full sex. Mr Stanford said: “Josh said ‘I have never done it before, will it hurt’ and the defendant replied ‘it might do if it’s the first time’.
“They then arranged to meet at Subway in Beeston, on April 2, and that is when he was intercepted by the group and the police were called.”
Spencer, of Falmouth Drive, Wigston, Leicester, pleaded guilty to attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child and attempting to meet a boy under the age of 16 following sexual grooming. He has no previous convictions.
Will Bennett, mitigating, said his client became “lonely and isolated” following the break-up of a 14-year relationship in which his then-partner stopped him from seeing friends. He said: “He lost his employment as a result of this but he knows this is a catastrophe he has brought on himself. I asked him ‘why did you travel with sex on your mind to meet someone of this age?’ and he said ‘I have no answer for that’.
“I anticipate he is one of those sex offenders, and that is what he is by his conviction, that is unlikely to trouble the courts."
As well as the jail term, the judge handed the defendant a 10-year sexual harm prevention order and placed him on the sex offender register for 10 years.