'Predatory' Nuneaton man jailed for explicit conversations with 12-year-old girl

64-year-old Alan Stringer travelled to meet the girl in Derby before being intercepted by police.

Stringer, of Hanover Glebe, Nuneaton was sentenced last week at Warwick Crown Court after pleading guilty to two counts of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child and one count of attempting to meet a girl under 16 years of age following grooming.

He has been jailed for two years and four months.

The visit to Derby took place whilst he was already under investigation by officers from the Warwickshire Police Online Child Sexual Exploitation Team for having sexually explicit conversations online with someone claiming to be a 12-year-old girl.

Officers executed a warrant at Stringer’s house in March, arrested him and seized his electronic devices.

Information then came to light that he had made arrangements to meet another girl in Derby. The team intercepted him mid-journey.

Stringer was also given a 10 year sex offender notification requirement and a 10 year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO), and ordered to pay a £190 victim surcharge.

Detective Constable Emma Pritchard from the Warwickshire Police Online Child Sexual Exploitation Team said: “Stringer showed clear predatory behaviour in his communications, frequently engaging in sexual conversation.

“Fortunately, we were able to identify and intercept him before he could cause any harm to children.

"This case should send a clear warning to people who do or are tempted to engage is this kind of activity. You might feel you are anonymous sitting behind your computer screen but we are actively looking for you and when we find you we will take action.”