A man has been jailed after travelling to Wiltshire with the intent to sexually abuse a child.

David Nye, 56, was sentenced to three years in jail yesterday (Monday February 21).

He pleaded guilty at a hearing in November to attempting to arrange the commission of a child sex offence.

He is also required to register on the sex offenders register indefinitely.

Between July 1 and July 29 last year, Nye communicated online and by email with someone he believed was the mother of a young girl.

According to Wiltshire Police, Nye discussed his sexual interest, before making arrangements to meet the woman’s child with the intention of sexually abusing her.

However, this was part of an investigation and so there was never a real victim and no children were in any danger.

Nye, of Stoney Stile Way, Wells, Somerset, travelled to the meeting location in Wiltshire on July 29, where he was arrested by police and taken to Melksham Police Station.

The joint investigation was run by the South West Regional Organised Crime Unit (SW ROCU) and Wiltshire Police.

Detective Constable Jason Walsh, of the Wiltshire Police Child Internet Exploitation Team, said that the messages exchanged between Nye and the 'mother' in the month they interacted were "highly disturbing and alarming".

He said: “We were left beyond doubt that Nye posed a serious and dangerous risk to children and used the internet to find victims.

“As part of the Child Internet Exploitation Team, it is our duty to protect children and young people from the risk that predators like Nye pose, and we will continue to work tirelessly to bring these people to justice and ensure the internet is not a safe place for them to prey on the vulnerable in our communities.

“We hope this sentence acts as a deterrent and highlights how serious this offence is.”

Detective Inspector David Wells, from the SW ROCU, added: “If David Nye had met the young girl he intended to that day, then we know that child would have been subjected to horrific abuse.

“Thankfully, the work of our team, together with the investigation that followed by our colleagues at Wiltshire Police, meant no child was harmed and he has been prevented from carrying out his depraved plans.

“This is vital work - identifying offenders who use the internet to directly groom children, share indecent images of children, and, as in this case, attempt to arrange access to children to abuse. 

“Law enforcement agencies are across the internet determined to ensure they don’t succeed. It is vital parents and children themselves take steps to protect against the threat.”

Wiltshire Police recommends the advice on the NSPCC website.

If you are worried about online sexual abuse or the way someone has been communicating online, report it to the CEOP (Child Exploitation and Online Protection command).

If you have concerns about your own use of the internet or inappropriate thoughts or behaviour about children, or you are worried about how someone you know behaves, contact the Lucy Faithfull Foundation.

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