SHANE LANDER JAILED IN PETERBOROUGH FOR CHILD SEX OFFENCES

A man from Peterborough, Shane Lander, aged 37, has been sentenced to two years and three months in prison after engaging in a series of disturbing online interactions with someone he believed to be a 14-year-old girl. The incident highlights the ongoing dangers posed by online predators and the efforts of law enforcement to combat such crimes.

According to reports, Lander initiated contact with the supposed underage girl via Facebook. Unbeknownst to him, the profile he was communicating with was actually a decoy operated by an online child protection group. The decoy was set up to catch individuals attempting to exploit minors online. Lander’s conversations quickly took a disturbing turn as he expressed his intentions and engaged in inappropriate exchanges.

He was eventually caught after he arranged to meet the girl in person at a fast-food restaurant in Peterborough. Instead of meeting a minor, Lander was confronted by members of the activist group who had been monitoring the situation. They seized his phone and promptly contacted the police, leading to his arrest.

During the investigation, it was revealed that Lander had sent a selfie of his face to the decoy and requested one in return. He also warned her to be cautious because of her age, instructing her not to tell her mother about their conversations. On June 22, Lander escalated his inappropriate behavior by telling the decoy that he loved her, referring to her as