Two men jailed after paedophile hunters snare them trying to meet ‘schoolboy’


These two men turned up hoping to meet a schoolboy so he could join in a sex session with them.

Ashfaq Ahmed, 21, and Yasir Jibran, 35, who met each other over dating app Grindr, had discussed during online conversations finding an underage boy.
Newcastle Crown Court heard Ahmed, who wore pyjamas with a Batman logo in his profile pictures, sent a series of explicit messages and pictures to what he thought were four male children, aged between 13 and 15, over the site within a few days in April 2017.

The court heard when the two men turned up to meet a 15-year-old, they were greeted by member of vigilante group Guardians of the North, who had been behind all of the “child” profiles.

The group set up fake accounts on social media and dating sites to snare adults who are looking for illegal contact with underage children. The court heard both men had engaged in online chat with the 15-year-old’s fake profile and he had been asked if he was “up for fun”. When police arrived at the meeting point and checked a bag the men had with them, officers found condoms and sachets of lubrication inside.

Ahmed, of Warrington Road, Elswick, Newcastle, admitted three offences of attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity, one of attempting to have sexual communication with a child and one of attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming. He has been jailed for two years.

Jibran, of Wingrove Gardens, Newcastle, admitted one charge of attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming. He has been jailed for 21 months.
Judge Penny Moreland told the men: “Ahmed created different profiles on Grindr which were used to approach others.

“You (Ahmed) were telling boys aged between 13 and 15 to engage in sexual communication and proposed sexual activity with them.

“You had met Jibran on Grindr during the time you were engaging in those conversations and found him to be a like-minded individual.

“You two, together, discussed sexual matters, which included finding underage boys for sex.

“Finally, together, you arranged to meet one of the boys to whom you believed you were talking.

“You went equipped with lubricant sachets and condoms, intending both of you should engage in penetrative sexual activity with the person you believed you were meeting.”

The judge added: “It is clear from the conversations you both had common interest in finding partners for sex and that included underage boys.”

Both men must sign the sex offenders register and abide by a sexual harm prevention order for 10 years.