Paul Evans, from Port Talbot, Wales responded to a social media profile pretending to be 12-year-old girl
A St John Ambulance service volunteer who attempted to groom what he believed was a 12-year-old girl for sex was arrested after turning up to meet her only to be confronted by a vigilante group.
Paul Evans from Port Talbot, Wales had responded to a social media profile purporting to be a 12-year-girl, but was in fact a false account created by a group which targets paedohiles.
The group used an image of one of the vigilantes daughter’s, when she was 12 years old and who is now an adult. She had given permission for the image to be used, Swansea Crown Court heard.
Evans, 49, had spotted it on a social media site and started to send sexually explicit messages to what he believed was an underage girl including an image of his exposed penis and messages detailing acts he wanted to engage in.
Prosecuting, Helen Randall, said: ‘She [the mother of the child in the image] repeatedly told him she was 12-years-old, but that did not deter him.
‘He asked her to get a train from Cardiff to Port Talbot train station where he would meet her and take her home.
‘He said he would make sure his wife was asleep’ – and then detailed a series of sex acts for them to engage in.
However, when he turned up at the station, he was confronted by adult members of the group, who then contacted the police.
Mitigating, Andrew Evans, told the court: ‘Thankfully, it was not a completed offence.
‘Had it been, it would have been far, far more serious than it is.
‘He has pleaded guilty at the first opportunity, but the effect of the defendant’s behaviour may have significant and wider impact on his wife and family and his standing in the community.’
Evans, who has children aged 20 and 23, worked as a St John’s Ambulance volunteer since 2007, both as a first aider and an ambulance driver, and he had limited contact with his wife since the commissioning of the offence.
Evans worked as a St John’s Ambulance volunteer since 2007, both as a first aider and an ambulance driver
Sentencing, Judge Peter Heywood, said: ‘You have two previous totally unrelated convictions more than 20 years ago, so you are effectively of clean character.
‘You thought you were dealing with a 12-year-old girl called Lucy.
‘You clearly intended to meet and engage in sexual activity.
‘How a man of your maturity thinks it is appropriate to not only engage in sexual talk but to think of meeting with her beggars belief.
‘But you were not dealing with a child, but a vigilante group.
‘They had put up a picture online, with [the subject’s] permission, and you made contact with her.
‘You liked her profile and sent many messages over time that you were keen to engage in sexual activity with her.
‘That continued and you were clearly keen to carry that out.
‘You must have had the shock of your life when she didn’t attend [the meeting at Port Talbot railway station] and were confronted by a vigilante group.’
Evans was jailed for two years, and told he would serve half of that in custody, and made subject to a sexual harm prevention order for 10 years.
He was also told he would have to register as a sex offender for the next 10 years, and was disqualified from working with children and vulnerable adults.
Speaking after the case Dean Quick, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said: ‘Through the content of his communications, Paul Evans made his intentions clear.
‘He attended the train station in order to meet a 12-year-old girl, but instead was confronted by adults.
‘Fortunately, on this occasion, there was no child at risk, but that is not always the situation.
‘This case is a reminder that parents should ensure their children remain safe when using the internet.