KEVIN CURRAN SWINDON SEX OFFENDER BUSTED IN PAEDOPHILE HUNTER STING AT SWINDON HOME
In March 2021, Kevin Curran, a convicted sex offender residing in Swindon, found himself back in legal trouble after being charged with breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) that had been imposed just a month earlier.The incident unfolded over the weekend when authorities responded to reports of a disturbance at Curran’s residence on Beechcroft Road in Swindon.
At approximately 8:15 pm on that Sunday evening, Wiltshire Police officers arrived at the scene to find a group of paedophile hunters detaining Curran.
The vigilante group had intervened after allegedly catching him attempting to communicate sexually with minors.
Following the confrontation, police arrested Curran and transported him to Gablecross Police Station for processing.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) alleges that Curran used messaging applications to contact two girls under the age of 16 during the period from March 20 to March 21.
However, it was later revealed that the accounts he communicated with were fabricated by a child abuse activist group, designed to catch offenders.
Despite this, the CPS claims that Curran engaged in conversations of a sexual nature and requested explicit photographs from the fake profiles, thereby breaching his two-year SHPO that was issued on February 5 for similar offenses.
During the court proceedings, Curran did not enter any pleas, nor did he apply for bail.
He was remanded into custody and scheduled to appear for a case management hearing at Swindon Crown Court in April.
The case highlights the ongoing efforts by law enforcement and child protection groups to combat online grooming and sexual offenses involving minors.
Earlier in February 2021, Curran had received a suspended prison sentence after admitting to sending explicit images to a decoy account.
He claimed that he was unaware the individual he was chatting with was only 13, asserting that a shaft of sunlight obscured the message on his phone.
However, this explanation was undermined by the fact that the decoy account, operated by the paedophile hunter group The Ghosts, had engaged him in conversations about school, bullying, and family matters, which are typical topics for a minor.
Over a span of three weeks in spring 2021, Curran sent the decoy a photograph of his genitals and repeatedly asked for explicit images in return.
He also requested pictures of the girl in the bath, despite her stating that her mother had advised her against sharing such images and that she was too young.
In one exchange, Curran wrote, “I sent you pictures of my c*** now it’s your turn,” demonstrating his persistent attempts to solicit indecent images.
When questioned by police, Curran admitted to sending the explicit photo but maintained that he believed the girl was 18, claiming that the sunlight on his phone had led to his mistaken assumption.
Prosecutor Lucy Taylor told the court that the decoy had disclosed her age and personal details, including being a schoolchild who was bullied and disliked PE.
Despite this, Curran continued to pursue the conversation with inappropriate requests.
Defense attorney Rhianna Fricker highlighted that Curran had suffered a significant brain injury in 2014, which caused substantial cognitive difficulties and made him easily led.
She pointed out that although he had a lengthy criminal record with 43 convictions for over 80 offenses, all of these crimes predated his brain injury, and he had not been involved in any trouble since then.
Fricker also noted that many of the interactions with the decoy account were initiated by the decoy itself, and police found no illegal material on Curran’s electronic devices.
In court, Curran pleaded guilty to attempting to cause or incite a girl aged 13-15 to engage in sexual activity.
Judge Jason Taylor QC sentenced him to 16 months in prison, suspended for 18 months.
The judge emphasized Curran’s persistent behavior and his requests, including telling the girl that her mother need not know about their exchanges to facilitate his sexual gratification.
The judge acknowledged Curran’s mental health issues as a significant mitigating factor and considered his efforts at rehabilitation, as well as the support from his mother and stepfather.
As part of his sentence, Curran was ordered to complete up to 50 days of rehabilitation activities, adhere to a curfew, and register as a sex offender for the next ten years.
Additionally, he was subject to a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order, underscoring the seriousness of his offenses and the ongoing risk he poses to the community.
