January 2010 Man jailed for trying to ‘groom’ girl on internet A BARNSTAPLE man has been jailed after trying to groom a 15-year-old girl for sex. A judge at Exeter Crown Court issued a warning to teenagers to be careful when using internet social networking sites. Darren Medland, 40, of Tuly Street, was sent to prison for 18 months at Exeter Crown Court on Tuesday. Medland was also put on the Sex Offender Register for 10 years and given a Sexual Offences Prevention Order for five years or until further notice. A jury had unanimously convicted him of attempting to meet a girl under 16 in order to commit a sexual offence. He had denied the offence and said the messages were simply friendly ones with innocent intentions. He already has a caution for having sex with another 15-year-old girl, in an unrelated incident in 2002. He was put on the Sex Offender Register and breached it by failing to tell police about a change of address. Recorder Paul Derbyshire said: “Social networking sites are very much a part of modern life. “They are an easy and enjoyable way of staying in touch with friends but these sites can be abused. “The warning must be to only invite those you know and trust onto these sites.” At the trial, the court had heard how the teenage girl received several internet messages from Medland in March last year having met him briefly before. He asked for her number and later suggested they meet up. One message said: “I asked for your number because I think you’re very beautiful xxx. Love to have some fun!!! What do you say? Oh and don’t tell anyone.” In another web message, Medland acknowledged that he knew her age and asked the teenager when her birthday was. One message said: “Look, I find you attractive. When you came in the shop, my heartbeat went mad. It was either a heart attack or something opened the door within. I would like it if you painted my life with a bit of your colour.” Defence counsel Richard Crabb yesterday said Medland had been jailed in the past for benefit fraud but had recently sorted his life out, making his offence even more “stupid and pointless.” He had a job with management prospects at an unnamed firm, good accommodation and had been receiving psychotherapy. Mr Crabb said Medland was emotionally quite fragile and had been drawn to the internet because of his sometimes lonely lifestyle. Judge Leeming praised the girl for alerting others about Medland’s messages to her. The judge told him: “The fact you didn’t meet with her is no credit to you. She very sensibly felt awkward about the messages and told others. You maintain these messages were innocent but nobody who read these messages from a 40-year-old to a 15-year-old would read into them anything other than sexual intent.”