January 2021 Pervert caught by UK database paedophile hunting team A pervert who sent a string of sexual messages to a schoolgirl including telling her that he wanted to rape her in the back of his car has avoided a prison sentence Craig Helps, 32 of Staple Hill, Bristol appeared at Bristol Crown Court pleaded guilty to two charges of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a female child. The court was told that in March 2019, Helps had contacted the online profile belonging to someone he believed was a 13-year-old schoolgirl. Using a fake online name of ‘Craig Shane’, he sent images of his own erect penis, sex videos from a porn site, and asked the child if she ‘had ever been fucked’. However, the child did not exist and was instead a member of the paedophile hunting team ‘UK database’ Due to Helps very aggresive and sexually demanding manner towards the decoy, the team decided to confront the pervert at his parents house in Staple Hill, Bristol. When questioned, Helps admitted sending the images and messages to who he believed was a child. However, when asked if he had a sexual attraction to children, he replied, ‘no, I did it just for banter’. Helps sent a number of sexually explicit messages with the clear intent of inciting the child into sexual activity. Helps was handed a 12 month prison sentence which was suspended for two years The defendant must: Do 100 hours of compulsory unpaid work for the community in their own time Participate in 20 days of a Rehabilitation Activity Requirement Attend a programme: the Accredited Horizon Programme, for 50 days