CALLUM MCBREARTY FROM BROMLEY CAUGHT IN SHOCKING PAEDOPHILE PLOT IN LONDON

In December 2017, a disturbing case involving Callum McBrearty, a resident of Bromley, came to light when he was found to have engaged in illegal and predatory behavior targeting minors through online platforms. The incident unfolded in South East London, specifically around the Eltham area, where McBrearty had arranged to meet a supposed 14-year-old boy after exchanging explicit messages on the popular gay dating app Grindr.

McBrearty, aged 23 at the time, had a troubling history, having previously been convicted in 2013 for possessing indecent images of children. Despite this, he continued to seek out young boys online, demonstrating a pattern of escalating offending behavior. In June 2016, he connected with an individual he believed to be a 14-year-old boy, whom he referred to as 'Jamie.' The communication quickly turned explicit, with McBrearty sending a photograph of his genitals and asking if he could perform oral sex. He also inquired about the boy's own genitalia, indicating a clear intent to engage in sexual activity.

Within an hour of their initial contact, McBrearty proposed a meeting at a McDonald's restaurant located on Eltham High Street. Unbeknownst to him, the individual he was communicating with was part of an online vigilante group called 'The Hunted One,' which specializes in catching online predators. When McBrearty arrived at the designated location on July 3, 2016, he was immediately surrounded by members of this group, who detained him until police officers arrived to arrest him.

The court proceedings revealed that McBrearty had a history of sexual offenses. He had previously signed the sex offenders’ register in 2013 after admitting to making 13 counts of indecent images of children. Despite this, he continued to pursue minors online, which led to his latest arrest. During the trial, it was noted that McBrearty had lost his job as a barman and was contemplating changing his name to escape the shame and public exposure resulting from his criminal activities.

In court, McBrearty admitted to attempting to cause a 14-year-old boy to view an explicit image and to engaging in conversations that suggested he wanted to meet the boy for sexual purposes. He also faced charges related to attempting to cause the boy to engage in oral sex and to meet him for a sexual offense, although some of these charges were left on file. The prosecution highlighted the premeditated nature of his actions, citing the messages exchanged as evidence of planning and intent.

Judge Joanna Korner, QC, presided over the case and expressed her astonishment at the leniency of the sentence, stating, 'I don’t know that your client knows just how lucky he was getting a suspended sentence for a crime like this. A judge very rarely gives such a sentence for this type of offence.'

McBrearty was sentenced to eight months in prison, suspended for two years, and was placed under a five-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order. This order prohibits him from making contact with or possessing any images of children under 16, except for his immediate family. Additional charges, including attempting to cause a boy to engage in sexual activity involving oral sex and attempting to meet a boy for sexual purposes, were left on file. He was also fined £200 and ordered to pay £100 in costs for breaching the original order, with a warning that any future breach would result in the immediate activation of his suspended sentence.

Throughout the proceedings, McBrearty expressed remorse and indicated that he intended to change his identity to avoid further humiliation. His case underscores the ongoing dangers posed by online predators and the importance of vigilant law enforcement and community groups in combating such crimes.