GREG LANGSTAFF FROM THORNABY JAILED FOR ONLINE SEXUAL CHAT WITH UNDERAGE GIRL IN AMERICA

In a case that has sent shockwaves through the local community, Greg Langstaff, a 36-year-old man from Thornaby, has been sentenced to prison following his involvement in a disturbing online sexual misconduct case involving a teenage girl from West Virginia, United States.

Langstaff, who was a former director of a local IT company, engaged in explicit and inappropriate conversations with the underage girl, during which he sent her intimate photographs and videos of himself. The court heard that he also requested her to send similar images, which she did, including footage of her participating in sexual activities. The girl, who claimed to be 15, was in fact younger, and Langstaff falsely stated that he was 27 years old at the time.

The incident came to light in 2015 when the girl’s mother discovered inappropriate images on her daughter’s phone and promptly contacted the police. An investigation traced the IP address associated with the images back to Langstaff’s Middlesbrough-based web design business. This connection led authorities to scrutinize his online activities more closely.

During his arrest in January 2016, Langstaff made a startling remark, revealing that “the girl turned out to be 13,” which confirmed the suspicions of his involvement with a minor. A comprehensive investigation uncovered images of the girl on his phone, along with other illicit material. Despite some searches for “teen porn,” the police found that most of the websites accessed by Langstaff were legitimate, legal sites. However, he also used a messaging app to communicate with others, where he apologized, saying, “Sorry I thought you were older,” indicating he was aware of the possibility that some recipients might be underage.

Importantly, the investigation found no evidence of further illegal images involving other children or additional offending beyond the initial charges. Langstaff, residing on Fullerton Way in Thornaby, admitted to charges of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and possessing indecent images of a child.

During the sentencing at Teesside Crown Court, Judge Sean Morris addressed Langstaff directly, emphasizing the dangers of such behavior. He stated, “You admit that you have an interest in teenage girls, albeit not necessarily underage girls. But that carries a risk because sooner or later you’re going to end up chatting with somebody who is far too young. And these people need protection, not just from people like yourself, very often from themselves.”

The judge further explained that although the girl initially claimed she was older, she still indicated she was under 16, which should have been a clear signal to end the conversation. Instead, Langstaff continued engaging with her, possibly under the influence of alcohol or other stimulants. The court clarified that there was never any physical contact or intent for such contact to occur.

As a result, Langstaff was sentenced to two and a half years in prison. Additionally, he was handed an eight-year sexual harm prevention order and will be required to register as a sex offender for the next ten years. His former employer issued a statement expressing support for the authorities’ actions, stating, “We support the action taken by the authorities and welcome the outcome of the court case and the deterrent sentence given.”