ADAM GILL FROM LEIGH CAUGHT IN PREDATORY PLOT ON GAY DATING APP

In April 2019, a disturbing incident unfolded involving Adam Gill, a 42-year-old man from Leigh, who attempted to engage in a sexual encounter with a 14-year-old boy through the popular gay dating application Grindr. The case was brought to light when Gill was caught in a trap set by a paedophile hunter, revealing the dangerous intentions behind his online activity.

According to the prosecution, Katie Jones, the events began on April 5, 2017, when a man operating under the pseudonym "Jason" created a profile on Grindr. On the very same day, Gill initiated contact with this profile, sending an indecent photograph of his private parts along with explicit sexual comments. The communication quickly escalated, with Gill arranging to meet the boy at his home for what he believed would be a sexual encounter.

However, the meeting did not proceed as planned. When Gill arrived at the residence, the paedophile hunter, who had set up the profile, was present. As Gill opened the door, he removed his baseball cap and made a startling admission, saying, "You know I’m not 14 now, don’t you?" This revelation confirmed that Gill was aware of the boy’s age, yet he still pursued the meeting. Police were promptly called to the scene, and Gill was arrested on suspicion of attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity.

At Bolton Crown Court, Gill pleaded guilty to the charges. The court was informed that since his arrest, efforts have been made by his mother and their church community to prevent any future offending. These measures include the installation of monitoring software on his phone, which alerts family members if he attempts to access inappropriate content. His support network was described as "extraordinary," with the legal representative emphasizing their commitment to protecting both Gill and others from potential harm.

Judge Graeme Smith, presiding over the case, acknowledged Gill’s vulnerabilities, describing him as "lonely, vulnerable, and suffering from learning difficulties." The judge emphasized that Gill’s actions were driven by sexualized fantasy rather than real intent, stating, "This was nothing more than sexualised fantasy on your part." He further clarified that there was no actual child involved in the scenario, asserting, "I am satisfied that, despite this very sexualised conversation, there is no likelihood you would have ever done anything like that in real life. It would never, in fact, have led to a sexual act with a child because there was no child in existence."

As part of his sentencing, Gill was given a three-year community order. This includes mandatory participation in a sexual offenders’ treatment programme and 30 days of rehabilitation activities. Additionally, he was placed on the sex offenders’ register and subjected to a sexual harm prevention order for five years. This order explicitly prohibits him from having unsupervised contact with children, aiming to prevent any future risk to minors in Leigh and beyond.