July 2020 Man with sexual interest in schoolboys given ‘chance’ by judge A 63-year-old man with more than 600 indecent images of children was snared by an undercover cop posing as a teenage schoolboy. Ian Quinn sent sexually suggestive messages to someone he thought was a 13-year-old boy call “William”. In reality though, the person at the other end of the messages was a police officer pretending to be a child. Derby Crown Court heard that Quinn was arrested and officers found a total of 612 indecent images on three devices including a laptop, mobile phone and a USB stick hidden in his sock. Judge Paul Mann QC, who presided over the case, decided to give Quinn “a chance” and handed him a community order for his actions. He said: “You have a sexual interest in schoolboys particularly aged eight through to their early teens. “You spoke to (who you thought) was William. “Police found 600 prohibited pictures. Whilst these may have just been images to you, in these pictures is someone’s son or someone’s grandson. “How would you feel if someone abused your son and then shared the pictures? “I find these offences difficult in which to make a decision. I’m giving you a chance. You won’t get this chance again. If you are ever caught doing anything of this again then it’s prison.” The court heard the messages began on March 19, 2019. Tony Stanford, prosecuting, said: “An undercover police officer set up a profile on Grinder (called) ‘William’ with a pretend photo of a 13-year-old boy. “Communication took place between William and this defendant, who was using the name Love Younger. He told William, Grinder was for guys looking for sex. “He told William Grinder was a public account and the defendant gave him details of his Kick account.” Mr Stanford said Quinn said they could meet up as “friends” and told him they could see what happens from there. He said there was further sexual conversation and Quinn spoke suggestively about licking ketchup off “William”. Police attended his address in May 2019. A mobile phone and a laptop were seized and a USB stick was also recovered from his left sock. In total, Quinn had 612 indecent images – with 228 from category A, the most serious category, 201 from category B and 183 from category C. Quinn, of Woodbridge Close, Heanor, was sentenced for attempting to engage in sexual activity with a child and three counts of making in decent images. Judge Mann handed him a two year community order. This included 150 hours of unpaid work, a 90 day sexual offending programme and 30 rehabilitation activity requirement days.