Patrick Lynch, a 64-year-old man from Hebden Bridge, engaged in explicit online conversations with what he believed to be a 12-year-old girl on Facebook, leading to his imprisonment at Bradford Crown Court.
The interactions began on 10 November 2023, when Lynch messaged the profile, requesting a picture and engaging in general conversation. Upon learning the profile claimed to be 12 years old, Lynch proceeded with inappropriate questions, advising the 'girl' to sleep naked, inquiring about her breast size, requesting a naked selfie, and asking if she masturbated. Despite a brief moment of hesitation in December 2023, where he suggested they stop chatting due to the age difference, Lynch continued by referencing sex and providing graphic instructions on masturbation. He expressed a desire to meet her, proposed four specific dates, and even researched the area where she purportedly lived.
The profile was in fact operated by an adult decoy from an online predator hunter group. On 17 December 2023, the group visited Lynch's address, though he was not home, and subsequently passed his details to West Yorkshire Police, resulting in his arrest. During police interview, Lynch provided no comment answers. He later pleaded guilty to attempting to incite a female child under 13 to engage in sexual activity and attempting to meet a girl under 16 following grooming.
At sentencing, Recorder Tony Watkin described the conversations as 'frankly disgusting' and noted that Lynch used simple, manipulative language tailored to appeal to a child, with the clear intent to draw her into gross sexual activity for his own pleasure. The judge highlighted that Lynch was under no illusions about the girl's age. In mitigation, it was revealed that Lynch had a history of heavy alcohol use since childhood, exacerbated by loneliness at the time of the offences. He had since quit drinking, joined Alcoholics Anonymous, and volunteered at a local church. Additionally, Lynch was a victim of childhood sexual abuse and suffered from long-term anxiety and depression. The court acknowledged his limited previous convictions, none since 2011, but determined he was not of good character.
Recorder Watkin sentenced Lynch to 35 months in prison, ordered him to register as a sex offender for life, and imposed a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for the same duration. The judge warned of the vigilance of predator hunter groups, serving as a lesson to potential offenders. This case, reported by the Bradford Telegraph and Argus on 29 October 2024, underscores the dangers of online grooming and the role of community watch groups in combating child sexual exploitation.