Newcastle Pervert Arrested After Attempting to Meet Boy He Groomed Online

A pervert who traveled to Newcastle hoping to meet a 14-year-old boy he had been grooming online was instead met by police.

Brett Lambert, described as a "risk-taking sexual thrill seeker," had expressed concerns that the online profile he was engaging with was a decoy operated by police or vigilantes. However, he decided to proceed with the meeting anyway.

Upon checking into a hotel in Newcastle city center, Lambert's suspicions were confirmed. The "14-year-old boy" was actually an account set up by police.

Newcastle Crown Court heard that in May of last year, Lambert, an oil rig worker, was traveling home from Aberdeen on a train and visited the Fab Guys website. He began communicating with someone whose profile indicated they were 18 but who claimed to be 14 years old.

Lambert was told the boy was in class and requested a picture. He was sent an image of a boy in a school uniform holding a piece of paper.

Despite refusing to send a picture of himself, Lambert asked the boy if he knew any females who would be interested in a threesome. He questioned whether the profile was being run by a "nonce hunter" but, when told they could cancel the meeting, he stated he was "still up for it and just nervous."

Lambert also told the boy to bring a condom. He arrived at the Easy Hotel in Newcastle, took his bags to his room, and went down to the lobby to meet the boy. Instead, he was met by police and arrested.

Lambert claimed he had a "weird fetish" where he liked to arrange to meet people but simply observe them without engaging in any interaction. He added that he believed it was a vigilante group or the police and was "intrigued who would turn up." He denied any intention to follow through with any sexual activity.

Lambert, 29, who has no previous convictions, pleaded guilty to attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming. He was sentenced to 15 months in prison, suspended for two years, with 100 hours of unpaid work and rehabilitation. He was also ordered to sign the sex offender register and will be subject to a sexual harm prevention order for ten years.