DEAN BRAMLEY FROM GRIMSBY JAILED FOR ONLINE SEXUAL OFFENCES INVOLVING FICTITIOUS CHILDREN
In August 2020, Dean Bramley, a 28-year-old resident of Stanley Street in Grimsby, found himself at the center of a serious criminal case involving online sexual misconduct.Bramley believed he was engaging in explicit conversations with two young girls over the internet, both of whom he referred to as "princess" during their exchanges.
However, the individuals he thought he was communicating with were not real children but were, in fact, members of a specialized group of paedophile hunters who had set up a trap to catch offenders like him.
According to the prosecution, Andrew Bailey, Bramley’s actions included attempting to induce a child under the age of 13 to participate in sexual activities and engaging in sexually explicit communication with a minor.
The authorities revealed that the online group had created a fake profile of a 12-year-old girl, and Bramley initiated contact with her via WhatsApp in May of the previous year.
During their conversations, Bramley expressed admiration for her appearance, calling her "attractive," and asked her to send photographs of her underwear.
When she disclosed her age as 12, Bramley brazenly responded, "That’s okay with me," showing a disturbing disregard for her age.
He also referred to her as "princess" and discussed sexual topics, including requesting her to perform sexual acts and sending him intimate images.
Bramley’s predatory behavior extended to another fictitious girl he communicated with in May 2018, where he again called her "princess" and inquired about her underwear, asking her to send him private pictures.
During these exchanges, he also shared an explicit image of himself and discussed sexual acts.
Additionally, Bramley was found to have exchanged indecent images of boys with another man, further highlighting his involvement in illegal online activities.
It was also revealed that Bramley had a prior conviction from December 2005 for sexual activity with a boy, indicating a history of sexual offenses.
The court heard that although Bramley believed he was communicating with real minors, there was no actual harm caused to any real victims, as the individuals he interacted with were entirely fictitious.
Judge John Thackray QC addressed Bramley during sentencing, emphasizing the seriousness of his offenses.
He stated, "Your offending involves a catalogue of offences.
You intended there to be two victims aged 12.
There was, in fact, no harm.
The victims were fictitious.
There are no actual victims." As a result of his actions, Bramley was sentenced to five years in prison.
Furthermore, he was subjected to an indefinite sexual harm prevention order and is required to register as a sex offender for an indefinite period, ensuring ongoing monitoring and restrictions to protect the public from potential future offenses.
