Repeat offender convicted of cyber-grooming: eight months imprisonment suspended
A 40-year-old man from Ebersberg district has been convicted of attempted sexual abuse of children and given a suspended prison sentence. He had made contact with what he believed was a young girl in a chat room – but in reality it was an investigator from the North Rhine-Westphalian Criminal Police
Repeat offender convicted of cyber-grooming: eight months imprisonment suspended
A 40-year-old man from Ebersberg district had to answer for attempted sexual abuse of children in court – and has already been convicted for a second time in this context. Ebersberg district court imposed a prison sentence of eight months, which was suspended.
The single man had made contact on a chat platform with a profile called "Nala" that purported to be a twelve-year-old girl. In fact, the account was operated by an officer from the North Rhine-Westphalian Criminal Police Office, who was specifically investigating paedophiles there. During the approximately one-hour conversation, the defendant increasingly asked the supposed child explicit questions about sexual acts and expressed kisses.
During the subsequent search of his flat, the man was cooperative. He voluntarily handed over his passwords, showed remorse and enquired about a treatment facility.
In 2023, the 40-year-old had already been convicted by the same court of an almost identical offence. On that occasion, too, he had attempted to persuade a purported 13-year-old girl via chat to engage in sexual acts – again, a police investigator was on the other side.
Judge Frank Gellhaus pointed to the "very high rate of reoffending" in his judgment. At the same time, the court took into account that this was an "impossible attempt without actual harm" since no real child was involved. In addition to the suspended sentence, the man was obliged to seek out a place in therapy and provide proof to the court.
Source: Süddeutsche Zeitung
Source: Süddeutsche Zeitung