sex offender wanted to meet up with decoy for sex.

Convicted Sex Offender Suggested Meeting Teen For Sex After Harry Potter Movie

A convicted sex offender, Sean Denniston, was sentenced to 30 months in prison for attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child. Despite having a previous conviction for a child sex offence and being engaged, Denniston repeatedly messaged a Facebook profile he believed belonged to a 14-year-old girl.

The court heard that Denniston and the decoy, who was actually an adult, exchanged selfies before Denniston suggested they meet up to watch a Harry Potter film and visit "Harry Potter land."

Denniston, who lives in Walcott, suggested they meet at his home and keep their communication a secret. He asked the decoy if she would have sex with him and suggested they do it when her mother was not at home.

On July 16, members of a paedophile hunter group visited Denniston's address and alerted police. Denniston pleaded guilty to attempted sexual communication with a child and breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).

In sentencing, Recorder Paul Garlick called the offenses "serious" and emphasized that they were exacerbated by Denniston's previous offenses.

While Denniston's defense attorney argued that he had a problem with alcohol and that there was no actual risk of harm as the decoy was an adult, the court recognized that harm had occurred because Denniston believed he was communicating with a child.

Denniston was also placed on the sex offenders register indefinitely and subjected to an indefinite SHPO.