Snapchat paedophile pretended to be Leeds teenager to lure young boys
A paedophile known to police already was caught communicating with youngsters on Snapchat.
Joshua Kilburn, who has been found with child-abuse images before, was jailed this week for having sex talk with four children on the social media platform.
The 22-year-old appeared at Leeds Crown Court this week where he admitted three counts of attempted sexual communication with a child.
Kilburn was only given a suspended sentence in June last year having been caught with indecent images of children as young as nine.
He was also given a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) designed to curb his internet use.
But on September 9 the National Crime Agency alerted West Yorkshire Police to suggest Kilburn was pursuing his sickening interests again.
They went to his home to arrest him and seize his internet devices. They found he was communicating with four supposed young boys, three of which claimed to be 13, over Snapchat.
He had told them he was 15, and told one he was “hard and horny”, and told another: “You are cute.”
Internet searches indictivate of his interests were also found, including a search for “teen boy nudes”.
Kilburn, of Broadway, Halton, gave a no-comment interview to officers.
The court was told it was unclear if the victims had been genuine or even 13.
Mitigating, Andrea Parnham said: “He accepts full responsibility. He knows he has made a grave error and in his words, he was stupid and apologises to the court from troubling it again and to his family and friends whom he knows he has let down.”
She said he had been in a relationship which broke down after last year’s conviction. Ms Parnham said he “felt lonely and sought company online”.
She added: “It’s not an excuse but it’s an explanation to how he found himself where he is.”
Judge Ray Singh gave Kilburn, who appeared in court via video link from HMP Leeds, a 24-month jail sentence and a fresh SHPO for another 10 years.
He will also be on the sex offender register for another 10 years.