Former supermarket worker attempted to meet a person he believed was a 14-year-old boy for sex.

Former supermarket worker arrested for attempting to meet a child he met online

John Robert Reynolds, 43, pleaded guilty to attempting to communicate sexually with a child after being caught trying to meet a person he believed to be a 14-year-old boy. The encounter, which occurred outside a Carlisle hotel, marked a significant fall from grace for Reynolds, a business graduate and former employee of the Booths supermarket.

Reynolds, who had been staying at the Halston Hotel in Warwick Road, initiated contact with the "boy" through the dating app Grindr. When the "boy" identified himself as 14, Reynolds responded with "That's young" before sending an intimate picture of himself.

However, Reynolds was unknowingly communicating with an undercover police officer. The conversation quickly turned sexual, with Reynolds expressing interest in "fun" with the "boy" and repeatedly requesting pictures. He also suggested meeting at the hotel where he was staying, and agreed to a meeting outside the Hallmark Hotel near Carlisle railway station.

At 8:40 pm, Reynolds was arrested by police. When challenged, he claimed he believed the person he was communicating with was 18 years old, the minimum age for using Grindr.

In court, Reynolds' defense lawyer stated that there was no actual child involved and that Reynolds accepted he should not have engaged in such communication. He attributed the incident to a period of personal upheaval following the breakdown of his marriage, which led to him struggling with his mental health, resorting to alcohol and sleeping tablets, and turning to dating apps.

Judge Guy Mathieson acknowledged Reynolds' good character and previous work history, but emphasized the seriousness of his actions. He rejected Reynolds' claim of misunderstanding the age of the person he was communicating with, stating that Reynolds could not have missed the fact that he was communicating with someone under 18.

The judge sentenced Reynolds to 12 months in prison, suspended for two years. He was also ordered to complete an accredited treatment program, register as a sex offender for 10 years, and comply with a five-year sexual harm prevention order. Additionally, he must complete 20 rehabilitation activity days.