Swaledale man jailed for online child abuse offences after investigation by North Yorkshire Police

A 48-year-old man from Swaledale in North Yorkshire has been jailed for online child abuse offences.

Peter John Reynolds, from Downholme, Richmondshire, was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment at Teesside Crown Court on Monday 20 December, after pleading guilty to all four offences last month.

They included two counts of an adult attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, who he believed to be two young girls who he had met online. One offence took place between August and October this year, and the other took place in October.

In each case, Reynolds sent a series of sexual images and engaged in sexualised chat, but unbeknown to him, he was actually talking to North Yorkshire Police throughout. When the “girls” confirmed their ages as 12 and 13 to him during these chats, Reynolds continued with the sexualised conversation.

He was arrested on 20 October and a search warrant was also executed at his home address where various devices and other potential evidence were seized as part of the investigation.

Reynolds was already on the Sex Offenders Register due to a previous conviction in November 2015.

He received a suspended sentence and was made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).

This meant Reynolds was also charged with a breach of the SHPO for using a mobile phone that he was prohibited to use, as well as attempting to breach the SHPO in relation to communication with females under the age of 16.

He added: "Reynolds, and other child sexual offenders like him, need to realise that the police are watching them like hawks.

"One wrong move and we will pounce before they themselves have a chance to prey on vulnerable young victims."

Police advise anyone seeking help about online sexual abuse to call them on 101 or contact a relevant service, such as the NCPCC, Child Exploitation Online Protection command (CEOP), or Supporting Victims.