Prestatyn,North Wales - Man jailed after sending photograph of his private parts to girl he believed was 15

Published date: 24 November 2015 | 

Published by: Staff reporter
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JAMES Brennan sent a photograph of his private parts over the internet to a person he believed was a girl of 15.

He engaged her in sexualised chat and asked her to send him some “naughty” photographs of herself.

But Mold Crown Court heard that it was not a girl he was having a conversation with – but a member of a group trawling the net to catch those who exploited youngsters.

The police were informed and Brennan, aged 45, of Victoria Road in Prestatyn, was jailed for 32 months, and was ordered to register with the police as a sex offender for life.

He was made the subject of a ten year sexual harm prevention order to curb his future activities.

Judge Geraint Walters told Brennan that he had a dark side to him and that while in custody he could begin to tackle some of the personal issues he had been carrying quietly without anyone knowing about it.

Brennan admitted attempting to incite a teenage girl to engage in sexual activity involving penetration.

A second charge of attempting to arrange a child sex offence, which he denied, was dropped.

Jonathan Austin, defending, said that his client had attempted to address his drug taking, he had been admitted to hospital and there had been concern about his mental health and hearing voices.

He was on an anti-psychotic drug. While he had previous convictions, there was nothing of a similar nature.

“It does appear that this is the first and only time this has been done by him,” said Mr Austin.

Brennan led an isolated life, he saw very little of anyone including his family, and he had gone onto the web site in the hope of obtaining some sort of social life and meeting someone.

He was a complex character who was ashamed of his behaviour.

In 2003 he had a conviction for dangerous driving when his pregnant partner, his passenger, lost the baby. That had clearly had an effect upon him, said Mr Austin.

see-http://www.southwales-eveningpost.co.uk/Kev-Johns-importance-letting-prized-buildings/story-21110117-detail/story.html