June 2019 Pervert who had ‘revolting’ chat with cop posing as 12-year-old suggested 400 mile trip to see her Online predator Gary Shanley engaged in “revolting” sexual chat with what he thought was a 12-year-old girl – even suggesting he would travel 400 miles to meet her if she was naked. The 46-year-old was seeking out children online when he came across a profile called Sophia. A court heard he soon turned the chat sexual despite being told she was 12 and talked about travelling from his home in Jarrow to meet her where he was told she lived, in Plymouth. In fact, Sophia was a decoy profile set up by police on social media to trap paedophiles seeking to engage with youngsters online. Now the pervert, who became aggressive when interviewed by the Probation Service about the offences and had to be asked to leave, has been jailed for two years for attempting to cause a child to engage in sexual activity and attempting to cause a child to watch a sexual act. The profile, set up by Child Online Exploitation Protection police, was contacted by Shanley in February last year and the chat quickly moved onto the Kik platform. Rachel Masters, prosecuting at Newcastle Crown Court , said: “The conversation was quickly turned to a conversation of a sexual nature by the defendant. “He asked for a picture of herself to be sent to him and when she told him she was uneasy he initially apologised and said he would send her a picture.” The conversation continued over the next few days and Shanley sent a picture of himself and provided her with an email address for her to sent a picture of herself to him. Shanley asked the ‘girl’  if she had ever “been with a guy before”, sent her two pictures of his penis and another of female genitals. He then directed her to do things to herself. Miss Masters said: “Sophia repeated she was only 12 and the defendant reassured her it’s okay. “He said ‘we can chat on here, just don’t get caught, I don’t want to get in trouble’.” The explicit messages continued over a number of days. “He suggested he might come to Plymouth to see her, where she said she was, as long as they could kiss and she would be naked,” Miss Masters said. When told she did not want to engage in the conversation any further, Shanley said he was going to kill himself. But then he sent more filth over the next few days, making reference to having sex and saying he didn’t like wearing a condom. Police swooped to arrest him at the end of April last year. Shanley, of Hadrian Road, Jarrow, who has eight previous convictions, including one for indecent exposure in 1996, was on a 16-month suspended prison sentence at the time, for threats to kill his former partner and battery. For breaching that sentence and the two new charges, he was jailed for two years and given a sexual harm prevention order for ten years and he must sign the sex offenders register for the same period. Judge Julie Clemitson told him: “Any right-minded person who listened to what you said would have considered it utterly revolting. “The pre-sentence report says you were so aggressive you were required to leave the probation office and the report says you have shown no remorse for what you have done and no inclination to address your behaviour. “The speed at which the conversation became sexual, knowing she was 12, suggests you were looking  for that sort of interaction. “That suggests this was not an accidental meeting and that’s why you were there on that platform, you were looking for that sort of interaction.” The court heard Shanley  is classed as being a very high risk of future sexual offending and he cannot be managed in the community due to his attitude. April 2019 Man warned he could be jailed for trying to commit child sex offences A man has been warned he could be sent to prison for trying to commit child sex offences. Gary Shanley appeared at Newcastle Crown Court on Monday and pleaded guilty to two offences – attempting to cause or incite a 12-year-old girl to engage in sexual activity and attempting to cause a 12-year-old to watch a sexual act. The offences took place between February and April last year. No further details of the offences were given in court at this stage. However, at a previous hearing, it was said the alleged victim wasn’t real and Shanley was arrested following a police operation. Shanley, 45, of Hadrian Road, Jarrow, South Tyneside, was told to come back to court on June 17 for sentence, after pre-sentence and mental health reports have been prepared. Judge Edward Bindloss granted him bail until that date. But the judge warned Shanley: “The fact I am adjourning the case for reports and granting you bail is no indication of what the actual sentence will be. “All options remain open, including an immediate custodial sentence.”