BARRIE SPINK FROM LEYLAND SENTENCED FOR ONLINE SEXUAL OFFENSES IN PRESTON

In a case that has sparked significant public concern over the dangers lurking within internet chatrooms, a man from Leyland named Barrie Spink has been sentenced to prison after attempting to engage in sexual activities with what he believed was a 13-year-old girl online. The incident was part of a broader police operation aimed at cracking down on adults exploiting chatrooms to prey on minors.

Preston Crown Court heard that Spink, aged 26 and residing at Fossdale Moss in Leyland, was caught during an undercover police investigation known as Operation Freelander. This operation was specifically designed to identify and apprehend individuals using internet chat platforms to seek sexual encounters with minors. Prosecutor Nicholas Courtney explained that the investigation was intelligence-led, with officers posing as minors to lure potential offenders.

During the court proceedings, it was revealed that an undercover officer had taken on the persona of a 13-year-old girl within an online chatroom. Throughout the conversations, it was made explicitly clear to Spink that he was communicating with a girl of that age. Despite this, he continued to engage in inappropriate discussions, which culminated in him inviting the girl to view his webcam. On two separate occasions, Spink performed sexual acts on camera, and he subsequently encouraged the girl to perform a sexual act on herself.

Further into the interaction, Spink asked for the girl’s mobile phone number, but she refused to provide it. When police arrested him, Spink claimed that he had previously used chatrooms to meet older women and girls for consensual sexual encounters, asserting that his actions in this case were not unusual for him.

Spink pleaded guilty to attempting to engage in sexual activity that could be observed by a child. The court sentenced him to 12 months in prison. Additionally, he was ordered to register as a sex offender for the next ten years. Judge Christopher Cornwall also imposed a series of restrictions under a sexual offences prevention order, which limits his future use of computers and prohibits any unsupervised contact with children.

Representing Spink, solicitor Michael Jones stated that his client had expressed remorse during police interviews, saying, “I was very wrong. I deeply regret my actions.” The case underscores the ongoing efforts by law enforcement to combat online sexual exploitation and protect vulnerable minors from predatory behavior.