On 7th February 2023, a 44 year old man from Derry/Londonderry pled guilty to four offences at Coleraine Crown Court. Patrick Devine pled guilty to attempted sexual communication with a child and attempting to cause or incite a child to engage in sexual activity.
Detective Inspector Richard Vasey from The Police Service of Northern Ireland’s Child Internet Protection Team said: “Mr Devine believed he was talking to three young girls aged 12, 13 and 14. The profiles he was talking to were actually decoys and law enforcement officers.
“We have specialist officers within the Child Internet Protection Team who are dedicated to shining a light on these often hidden crimes, robustly investigating and bringing those responsible before the courts. Our aim is to protect further vulnerable young people from harm.
"We will continue to proactively target those in our community who contribute to the cycle of child abuse and I would encourage anyone with concerns or information to get in contact us on 101 or 999 in an emergency.”