A paedophile has been jailed in connection with a number of child sex offences which concluded with an attempted meeting in St Albans.
On November 13 last year, Patrick Joyce, 62, travelled to meet someone who he believed to be a 14-year-old boy, but was arrested at the scene.
Joyce went to Verulamium Park having sent sexual messages to what he believed was the boy’s account on an online website and WhatsApp.
These incriminating communications began at the end of October.
When Joyce arrived at the park, he was met by officers who seized a rucksack that was packed with a red thong and lubricant, as well as discovering a small knife in a sheath in his car.
Joyce, of Hart Hill Lane in Luton, was arrested and charged with engaging in sexual communication with a child, arranging/facilitating the commission of a child sexual offence, causing a child to watch a sexual act, and possession of a bladed article in a public place.
He pleaded guilty to all the offences and was jailed at St Albans Crown Court on Thursday, March 12, for a total of four years, and also handed a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
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Detective Constable Tom Campbell, from Hertfordshire Constabulary’s Child Online Safeguarding Team, said: “While there was no physical victim at the heart of this specific crime, it showed the steps Patrick Joyce would take to meet a child and sexually abuse them.
"Offenders like Joyce undermine trust in online spaces and can fuel wider criminal activity. He is a dangerous individual who is now rightly serving a custodial sentence.
"Becoming a victim of sexual assault is never your fault. If you’ve been a victim, no matter how long ago the offence occurred, please report it. We have specialist officers on hand to provide advice and support throughout an investigation, and we take all reports seriously.”
You can report information online, speak to an operator via online web chat or call the non-emergency number 101.
Anyone in Hertfordshire who has experienced sexual abuse or sexual violence can contact the Herts Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) for practical and emotional support. The centre can arrange face-to-face support, sexual health referrals, and provide forensic medical examinations for those who want them.
This service is open to everyone – men, women and young people, no matter how long ago the abuse occurred.
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