SIMON BURRIN AND HIS SHOCKING ATTEMPT TO MEET 14-YEAR-OLD BOY IN BIRMINGHAM
A man named Simon Burrin, who has a history of sexual offenses, was involved in a disturbing incident that took place in Birmingham.He had arranged to meet a 14-year-old boy at a train station in the city after engaging in a series of inappropriate communications, which included sending explicit photographs.
However, the entire interaction was part of a sting operation carried out by a paedophile hunters group, who had created a decoy profile to catch potential offenders.
The case was brought before Birmingham Crown Court, where prosecutor Joshua Purser detailed the events.
According to the evidence, a member of a vigilant group set up a fake profile on a gay dating application, pretending to be a 14-year-old boy.
On September 24 of the previous year, this decoy profile began receiving messages from Simon Burrin.
In their initial exchange, the decoy disclosed his age and mentioned that he was simply 'checking the app out.' Burrin responded by asking for the decoy’s phone number and introduced himself as Simon.
The conversation then transitioned to WhatsApp, where Burrin continued to communicate with the decoy.
During these exchanges, he sent explicit images of himself, which he later admitted were naked photographs.
The discussions grew increasingly inappropriate, with Burrin expressing a desire to undress the decoy and suggesting they could meet in person.
He even proposed that they stay together at a hotel in Winchester, indicating a clear intent to engage in sexual activity.
When questioned by authorities, Burrin acknowledged that his actions were wrong and expressed a recognition that he needed help.
It was revealed that he had a prior criminal record related to sexual offenses.
Notably, in June 2020, he was sentenced to two years and four months in prison after allowing a 14-year-old boy he met on a gay dating site to stay with him.
The court heard that Burrin, aged 42 and residing on Court Lane in Erdington, had previously admitted to attempting to communicate sexually with a child, attempting to meet a child, and breaching a sexual harm prevention order.
His latest actions led to a conviction and a significant prison sentence.
Judge Simon Drew KC stated that Burrin’s primary motivation appeared to be engaging in sexual activity with the decoy.
He described Burrin’s conduct as 'extremely dangerous' and extended his period of license supervision by an additional four years.
During the sentencing, Amrisha Parathalingam, representing Burrin, emphasized that her client wanted to address his problematic behavior, citing the internet as his biggest challenge.
Despite this, the court made it clear that Burrin’s actions posed a serious threat to public safety, resulting in a prison term of four years and eight months for his offenses.
