Thurrock man jailed after being caught in paedophile hunter sting


A man who sent a 14-year-old girl a sickening diagram showing her how to pleasure herself has been jailed after being caught in a paedophile sting.

Wayne Rumble, 51, of Gordon Road, Horndon-on-the-Hill, was jailed for two years after talking to a girl he believed to be 14 on the social media site Skout in July last year.

At Basildon Crown Court prosecuting lawyer Daniel Taylor, described how paedophile hunting group Cobra UK had set up a fake profile of a 14-year-old girl called Zara Jones.

After conversing on Skout, the conversation moved onto Whatsapp and it was at this point that the defendant asked the profile to send naked pictures of herself and play with herself.

The court heard how he sent a line diagram instructing how she should pleasure herself for him.

Following the last day of contact on August 6 last year, the group Cobra UK attended his home after finding his address online, where they then called the police.

Rumble was arrested and interviewed by police where he answered no comment to all questions.

Mr Taylor argued that there was some degree of grooming and a significant disparity in ages between the 51-year-old defendant and the 14-year-old decoy.

The defence stated: ‘He works in the construction industry, has a forklift license and a digger license so employment options are available to him. He was also a karate instructor’

Passing sentence, Judge John Lodge told the defendant: “You encouraged what you believed to be a young girl to masturbate for you so that you knew she was doing it.

“What makes this case particularly serious, is that you sent a line diagram telling her what you wanted her to do. The conversations took place over a period of time.

“I have taken into account your previous good character. This was an attempt with someone who was not in the position to engage in what you wanted her to do.”

Rumble was sentenced to two years for attempting to cause or incite a girl aged 14 to engage in sexual activity of a non-penetrative nature. He will serve half of his sentence in custody.

He was also placed on the sex offenders register for 10 years and a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) was put in place for 10 years.