FLORAN CONSTANTINE DAN SENTENCED IN MIDDLESBROUGH FOR ONLINE OFFENCES IN MAY 2021
In May 2021, Floren Constantine Dan was caught after believing he was engaging in explicit online chats with a 14-year-old girl.In reality, he was communicating with a member of the Child Online Safety Team, a volunteer organisation.
Dan had asked the decoy to send nude pictures and had even sent one of himself.
He then travelled to Durham train station intending to meet what he thought was the underage girl.
Dan appeared at Teesside Crown Court on a Monday to face sentencing for attempting to meet a child for sexual activity following grooming and for sending sexual communications to a minor.
Ms Glover, prosecuting, explained that on April 4, a volunteer from the Child Online Safety Team was operating in an online chat room, posing as a 14-year-old girl, when Dan contacted her.
She added that Dan was told twice that the girl was 14 years old, but he disclosed his own age.
As their conversations became explicit, Dan requested intimate photos from her and sent one of himself.
A few days later, he traveled to Durham train station, expecting to meet her, but was instead arrested.
Ms Glover noted that Dan committed these offences during the COVID pandemic when he had lost his job.
At the hearing, Recorder Alex Menary sentenced Dan, of Aire Street, central Middlesbrough, to two years in prison.
He also imposed a 10-year sexual harm prevention order and registered him as a sex offender for 10 years.
