Ryan Goulding, a guy apprehended by paedophile hunters while participating in sexual internet conversations with someone he believed to be a 14-year-old girl, has been sentenced to imprisonment.
In August, 37-year-old Ryan Goulding from Town View, Kendal, sent a friend request to a Facebook profile belonging to a 14-year-old girl.
A member of a voluntary organisation established that profile to identify individuals soliciting youngsters online for sexual satisfaction.
In preliminary online communications, Ryan Goulding characterised the girl as alluring and, upon learning she was 14, claimed to be approximately ten years younger than his true age.
Ryan Goulding proposed a meeting, offering to collect her from a train station and transport her to social gatherings. He enquired if she like alcohol and proposed a cocktail of vodka and cocaine.
Subsequent to the transition to WhatsApp, Ryan Goulding solicited inappropriate images and made numerous sexually explicit propositions while the decoy collected substantial evidence.
That information was handed over to Cumbria police along with voice notes containing more suggestive comments by Ryan Goulding, who was arrested and interviewed.
“He did answer questions in which he suggested he had been set up by a vengeful ex-partner,” prosecutor Stephen McNally told Carlisle Crown Court. “He denied knowing about the girl’s account and denied conversing with her. He denied having any sexual interest in children.”
When brought to court, Ryan Goulding admitted offences of attempted sexual communication with a child and attempting to cause of incite a child to engage in sexual activity.
He was sentenced today when a judge heard he had 34 previous convictions for 113 offences, the majority for dishonesty. There were no past sex crimes on his record.
Andrew Gurney, mitigating, spoke of Ryan Goulding’s disadvantaged upbringing and ongoing mental health issues in adult life.
“He is disgusted by his own behaviour. He is genuinely, truly remorseful for what he has done,” said Mr Gurney. “This will obviously have a significant impact on his life moving forward.”
Ryan Goulding was given a 45-month prison sentence by Recorder Eric Lamb.
He must sign the sex offenders’ register — and comply with the terms of a prevention order — indefinitely.
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