JOHN BREWSTER CONVICTED IN CAMBRIDGE OF ONLINE SEX OFFENCES

A convicted paedophile from Cambridgeshire, John Brewster, was caught attempting to meet a teenager after it was revealed that she was actually an adult. Brewster had been messaging his intended victim, whom he believed to be a 14-year-old girl, via Facebook and WhatsApp between July 11 and 15. He arranged to meet her later that week. However, when he arrived at their designated meeting point just before 4:30 pm on July 18, authorities intervened. The woman revealed herself to be an adult and promptly called the police. Officers attended the scene and arrested Brewster, aged 67, of Crown Close, St Ives. During police interviews, he responded with a refusal to answer all questions.

Brewster stood trial at Cambridge Crown Court beginning on March 15. A jury took less than three hours to find him guilty of engaging in sexual communication with a child and inciting a girl aged 13 to 15 to undertake penetrative sexual activity. On March 17, Brewster was sentenced to three years and four months in prison. Additionally, he was issued with a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO), intended to monitor and prevent any future offences, and was placed on the Sex Offenders Register indefinitely.

Detective Sergeant George Neal, of the police force’s Paedophile Online Investigation Team (POLIT), expressed his condemnation of Brewster's actions, stating, “Brewster’s behaviour was shocking and inappropriate; using the internet in this way will not be tolerated. Phones and social media mean children can be vulnerable to those who prey on their innocence and exploit their trust.” He emphasized the importance of protecting young people, adding, “Protecting young people from harm is one of our top priorities, and we will continue to work tirelessly to keep our communities safe.” Neal also highlighted resources available to the public, noting that anyone concerned about someone who may have been convicted of a sex offence and could pose a risk to others can request disclosure information through Sarah’s Law. For further advice and information on child abuse, including online grooming, community members are encouraged to visit the police force’s dedicated child protection webpage.