Man Pleads Guilty to Attempted Sexual Communication with Children

A 29-year-old man, David Holberry, has been arrested and pleaded guilty to two charges of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child. The charges stem from a "sting" operation conducted by a paedophile hunting group in Salisbury back in 2021.

Holberry was found to have been communicating with fake profiles set up by the group, which he believed were young girls under the age of 16. During these conversations, he engaged in sexually explicit discussions and instructed the "girls" to bind their feet and put socks in their mouths.

At Swindon Magistrates' Court on Wednesday, 5 October, Holberry admitted to the charges. While his defense attorney expressed concern about his mental health, they confirmed that Holberry understands the proceedings and has the capacity to participate.

Holberry, of Whitworth Road, Swindon, was ordered to register as a sex offender at Gablecross Police Station within 72 hours. The court also requested a pre-sentence report and adjourned the case until 27 November. He was released on unconditional bail pending the outcome of the report.