NIGEL RYAN FROM STALYBRIDGE CAUGHT TRYING TO MEET 14-YEAR-OLD GIRL AT TRAIN STATION IN GREATER MANCHESTER

In a disturbing case that has shocked the community of Stalybridge, Nigel Ryan, a 33-year-old father of five, has been sentenced to prison after being caught attempting to meet a minor for sexual activity. The incident unfolded in April when Ryan was lured by a group of paedophile hunters operating under the name North West Predator Hunters, who had set up a fake online profile posing as a 14-year-old girl named 'Francesca'.

Over a span of three days, Ryan engaged in a series of messages with this fictitious profile, during which he falsely claimed to be 29 years old. The conversations quickly took a disturbing turn as Ryan sent explicit images to the profile, accompanied by inappropriate comments such as 'nice a***'. He also made threatening remarks like 'I will FK you' and requested pictures of school uniforms, further indicating his inappropriate intentions.

Ryan's communications revealed his desire to meet the girl in person at the local train station in Stalybridge. He attempted to persuade her to meet him alone, pretending to be a 13-year-old girl himself. In one of his messages, he offered cigarettes and beer, promising that the sexual encounter would be pleasurable. His manipulative tactics aimed to lower her guard and facilitate the meeting.

When Ryan arrived at the train station, he was confronted by the vigilante group on the concourse. The confrontation was live-streamed and quickly gained significant attention, attracting approximately 187,000 views on Facebook. During the arrest, officers conducted a search of Ryan and discovered two Playboy condoms in his pocket, along with two mobile phones and two cans of lager in his bag, indicating his intent and preparedness.

At Manchester's Minshull Street Crown Court, Ryan pleaded guilty to attempting to meet a child following grooming. He was sentenced to 30 months in prison. Initially, Ryan denied any wrongdoing, but the evidence and his subsequent confession led to his conviction. The case has also had severe personal repercussions; his wife, who was reportedly shocked by the revelations, has since ended their marriage, and his five children have been taken into care.

Prosecutor Virginia Hayton detailed the sequence of events, explaining that Ryan initiated contact through an app using the alias 'Francesca'. The first message from him included the abbreviation 'ASL', meaning 'age, sex, and location', where he falsely claimed to be 29. He then inquired if the girl was truly 14, to which she confirmed. Ryan's inappropriate responses included sending a GIF with the caption 'nice a***' and stating 'I will FK you', effectively complimenting her.

Further messages revealed Ryan's attempts to persuade the girl to send pictures, including images in her school uniform, and to disclose her clothing size. Although she initially expressed reluctance to meet, Ryan persisted, sending messages under the guise of a 13-year-old girl, claiming they knew each other and that it was safe to meet. His goal was to create a convincing scenario to facilitate the meeting.

When confronted by the vigilantes, Ryan claimed that the condoms found in his pocket had been purchased by his wife and were coincidentally on his person. His defense was not accepted, and he was subsequently sentenced. In mitigation, Ryan's legal team highlighted that he has been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, which they argued contributed to his social isolation and online behavior. They also noted that his marriage was breaking down at the time of the offenses, and his five children are now in care.

In addition to his prison sentence, Ryan was issued with a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and ordered to register as a sex offender for the next ten years, underscoring the seriousness of his actions and the ongoing risk he poses to the community.