BRANSHOLME PAEDOPHILE JONATHAN BARNES CAUGHT IN ONLINE STING OPERATION IN HULL

In September 2022, a disturbing case unfolded involving Jonathan Barnes, a man from Bransholme, who was caught in a covert operation conducted by dedicated paedophile hunters. The incident took place in Hull, where Barnes was lured into a trap designed to expose individuals attempting to engage in sexual communication with minors online.

Barnes, aged 40 and residing on Bisley Grove in Bransholme, became the subject of a sting after he engaged in highly sexualised conversations with what he believed to be two 14-year-old girls. Unbeknownst to him, the individuals he was communicating with were adult men operating undercover, masquerading as teenage girls to catch predators like him. The decoys confirmed during their online exchanges that they were 14 years old, which Barnes appeared to be aware of, despite his claims to the contrary.

During the chats, Barnes sent explicit photographs of himself and attempted to persuade the decoys to send him indecent images in return. He also asked the fake girls if they wanted to see more of him, asking, “Wanna see something else?” even after being reminded that they were only 14. His behaviour was highly inappropriate and predatory, involving intimate questions and requests for explicit images from the decoys.

The operation culminated in Barnes’s arrest on November 15. It was later revealed that he had also engaged in similar conversations with another decoy, a second 14-year-old girl, with whom he exchanged explicit photographs and asked personal, sexual questions. The evidence collected during the investigation led to charges against Barnes for attempting to engage in sexual communication with minors and causing a child to engage in sexual activity.

Prosecutor Harry Crowson outlined the case in court, emphasizing that Barnes believed he was communicating with minors but was actually speaking to adults posing as teenagers. The court heard that Barnes’s actions were deliberate and motivated by sexual gratification. Judge Mark Bury addressed Barnes directly, condemning his behaviour and highlighting the severity of his actions. The judge stated, “You behaved very badly to two people who you thought were two 14-year-old girls. In fact, they were adults on a paedophile hunter website. Clearly, you are ashamed of what you did but you have tried to minimise it, to some extent.”

Judge Bury further explained that Barnes was fully aware of the age of the decoys, despite his claims otherwise, and that his actions were driven by a desire for sexual gratification. The judge noted that the intervention by paedophile hunter groups was what ultimately stopped Barnes from continuing his predatory behaviour, which could have persisted unchecked for some time.

In sentencing, Barnes received a one-year prison term. Additionally, he was placed under a 10-year sexual harm prevention order and is required to register as a sex offender for the same period. The court’s decision underscores the seriousness with which such offences are treated and the importance of protecting minors from online predators in the digital age.