Attempting to meet what he thought were two young girls for sex after grooming them online.

Man Jailed for Attempted Child Sex Abuse

A 32-year-old man has been jailed for attempting to meet what he believed were two young girls for sex after grooming them online.

Martin Garrigan, of Barton Road, Bognor, was arrested by Sussex Police officers in September 2020 in Hotham Park, near his home. Garrigan had been waiting to meet who he thought were two teenage girls, but had been communicating online with adults posing as the children.

He pleaded guilty to attempted sexual communication with children at Lewes Crown Court on June 30. Garrigan was sentenced to four years in prison and will be a registered sex offender for life.

He was also given a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) to last indefinitely, severely restricting his access to children and to digital communications devices.

Detective Constable Jordan Holmes of Sussex Police said: "Garrigan was blatantly seeking to meet young girls for sex and may well have persisted in this and other ways but fortunately we received information from members of the public and his activities were rapidly ended."