Leeds paedophile jailed after vigilante tip-off
West Yorkshire PoliceA 46-year-old man confronted by a vigilante when he thought he was meeting a 13-year-old boy following online chats about sex has been jailed.
Eugene Forrest, of Shafton View, Leeds, believed he was talking to a teenager on the dating app Grindr in June.
They arranged to meet but when Forrest arrived he found a member of the vigilante group Predator Exposure.
He admitted attempting to incite a child to sexual activity and sexual grooming and was jailed for 32 months.
Leeds Crown Court heard that conversations between Forrest and the group member posing as the boy were of a sexual nature whereby Forrest was encouraging the teenager to "try gay sex".
He suggested meeting up on Domestic Street in Hunslet but was caught by the vigilante group who had alerted police.
'Downward spiral'
Ian Cook, defending, said Forrest was not intending to go out looking to have sex with a child and had no interest in sex with boys.
He said: "The offence took place when his life had taken a downward spiral following the break up of a long-term relationship."
Sentencing Forrest, Judge Geoffrey Marson said: "It's nonsense to say you have no sexual interest in boys, this would never have happened if you didn't."
Forrest was also made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order which bans any contact with children.
