In 2019, the Offender Database reported that Adam Gardiner, then 30, of Glastonbury, Somerset, was jailed for two-and-a-half years after a “vicious” attempt to groom a child online. Appearing at Bristol Crown Court, Gardiner admitted to a course of misconduct occurring between January and April 2017. He had targeted an online persona he believed to be a 12-year-old girl named Sofia, unaware that the account was operated by a law enforcement officer.
The prosecution emphasised that Gardiner used a messaging service to initiate contact, “callously” making sexual innuendos and suggesting prohibited acts. The “vile” nature of the grooming escalated when Gardiner sent “Sofia” a 12-second video of himself performing a sexual act. Forensic analysis of his mobile phones later uncovered 219 indecent images of children, further proving his “serious” and persistent interest in the exploitation of minors.
Judge Martin Picton emphasised that the offences were “depressingly familiar” to the court and highlighted Gardiner’s clear sexual interest in children. Gardiner pleaded guilty to several counts, including attempting to incite a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity and attempting sexual communication with a minor. The court reported that he was deprived of his laptop and two mobile phones as they were used as instruments of his “depraved” crimes.
As a result of his conviction for child sex offences and making indecent images, Adam Gardiner was ordered to register as a sex offender for life. He was also handed a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO), which is designed to restrict his digital activities and contact with children. He is managed under Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) by Avon and Somerset Police, ensuring his behaviour in Glastonbury and the wider region is strictly monitored.
Any future attempt to access prohibited material or bypass his digital monitoring will result in an immediate return to prison. The judge emphasised that these measures are essential for public protection, given the predatory nature of Gardiner’s actions.
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