JOHN MCBURNEY BRISTOL SEX OFFENDER SENTENCED FOR CHILD SEXUAL OFFENCES AND GROOMING CASES
In a series of disturbing criminal cases, John McBurney, a man with a long history of sexual offences, has been convicted and sentenced for multiple crimes involving minors in Bristol.His criminal activities span over several years, highlighting a pattern of predatory behavior that has caused significant concern among law enforcement and the community alike.
In March 2018, McBurney, a 51-year-old resident of Filwood Road, Fishponds, was sentenced at Bristol Crown Court to a total of 12 years and eight months in prison.
The sentence was handed down after he pleaded guilty to six counts of enticing a teenage girl into sexual acts and one count of breaching his Sexual Offences Prevention Order (SOPO).
The court also imposed an extended six-year license period upon his release.
This sentencing followed his earlier conviction on February 7, when he admitted to the charges, which included child sexual offences and violations of his SOPO.
His criminal history in Bristol is extensive.
As early as August 2013, McBurney, then aged 46, was involved in a disturbing case where he met a 14-year-old girl for kisses and physical contact.
McBurney, a registered sex offender, had engaged in online grooming via Twitter, where he communicated with the girl about the television show 'Deal Or No Deal.' During their exchanges, he flirted with her, shared intimate photographs, and continued to develop an inappropriate relationship despite knowing her age.
The police investigation was triggered when authorities discovered he had downloaded child-abuse images, leading to his arrest.
McBurney faced multiple charges, including meeting a child following sexual grooming, having sexual activity with a minor, and possessing indecent photographs of children.
His actions were deemed serious enough to warrant an indefinite Sexual Offences Prevention Order, which prohibited him from unsupervised contact with minors, working with children, and mandated that he re-register as a sex offender for ten years.
The court was informed that McBurney had a history of similar offences; in 2009, he was convicted of 23 offences related to distributing and creating indecent images of children.
During that period, he engaged in online chats with an undercover police officer, sending pictures of young teenage girls and revealing his interest in minors.
Further investigations revealed that McBurney had established an online relationship with a 14-year-old girl in August 2018.
Over the course of their interaction, he visited her seven times, during which they exchanged kisses and cuddles in private settings, such as his car and walks near her residence.
He also sent her numerous text messages—up to 40 in a four-hour span—demonstrating a persistent attempt to maintain contact.
The girl, who believed she had fallen in love with him, kept her relationship secret out of fear of judgment.
When her friend informed her teacher about the relationship, the girl admitted she had kept quiet to avoid being judged.
Police linked McBurney to the case after the girl’s disclosures and investigations confirmed his involvement.
In a separate but related incident in April 2009, McBurney, then aged 42, was jailed for six months after he tricked a teenage girl into allowing him to view her topless via webcam and subsequently distributed the image.
He had boasted about his interest in younger girls in an email to an undercover officer before sending the explicit photograph of the 14-year-old girl.
Police found that he possessed 3,681 indecent images of children on his computers.
During police interviews, McBurney admitted to using internet chat rooms to fantasize about children, citing his difficulty sleeping and browsing the internet for lewd images as reasons for his online activity.
Despite denying any sexual interest in children, he accepted responsibility for possessing the images.
Prosecutor James Ward detailed how McBurney was arrested after he confessed in a chat room to tricking a 14-year-old girl into exposing herself on webcam.
He also revealed that McBurney had been involved in an affair with an 18-year-old girl, which he claimed was part of his 'fantasy lifestyle.' The court heard that McBurney’s actions, including the possession and distribution of numerous indecent images, contributed to the suffering of children and underscored the importance of strict sentencing in such cases.
Judge James Tabor QC emphasized the gravity of McBurney’s offences, condemning his actions and highlighting the need for deterrence and protection of minors from such predatory behavior.
