Paedophile pensioner tried to meet 'boy' at Leeds Railway Station and pretend to be his grandad

Warped David Shanks, 75, latched onto the profile, before sending pictures of his genitals and said he would “bring condoms” for the meeting with the supposed 14-year-old boy.

Leeds Crown Court heard that Shanks, of Dewsbury Road, Hunslet, made contact with the fake profile on July 18 via the social-media site for gay people, Hornet.

He sent several messages before the recipient replied, who made it clear they were only 14, but Shanks wanted him to come to Leeds for the weekend “for the gay scene”.

Having traded phone numbers, Shanks asked him if he wanted sex, told him he had contraception and had baby oil “in the fridge” and “could not wait” to meet him, prosecutor Beatrice Allsop told the court.

On August 3, police went to the railway station where they found Shanks near the entrance and arrested him. He told them he was waiting for the 14-year-old boy, but claimed he had no intention of meeting for sex, telling officers during his interview that he had planned to buy him food then put him back on the train. His claim was rejected by Judge Simon Batiste.

Appearing in court from HMP Leeds, where he has been held since his arrest, he admitted attempting to meet a child under 16 after grooming, and attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child. He has no previous convictions.

Mitigating, Michael Morley said: “He is not the first man to find himself in this position. Despite entering guilty pleas he has struggled to come to terms with the position he has landed himself in. He has never been in trouble before.

"He has worked from the ae of 16 to 74. He accepts that he does need help.”

Judge Batiste jailed him for 26 months, gave him a 10-year sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) to limit his internet use and put him on the sex offender register for the same period.

He told Shanks: “It was not simple fantasy because you went to the railway station to meet him. It’s clear your intention was for sexual activity.”