Danny Gould, a 27-year-old resident of Whitehead Street in Swindon, was convicted at Swindon Crown Court on Friday on the charges of soliciting sexual conversations with a minor and attempting to involve a minor in sexual activities.
Danny Gould is facing charges for engaging in explicit online discussions with an individual whom he believed to be a 14-year-old but was an undercover decoy. These conversations took place on social media between April 2nd and May 9th, 2024, and involved explicit sexual content.
Danny Gould, who was already listed on the Sex Offender’s register, was charged with noncompliance with the registration criteria.
Danny Gould was also placed under an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
Detective Constable Greenman stated that although the victim in this case was a decoy, it does not diminish the seriousness of Danny Gould’s offence. His objectives were explicit in seeking sexual gratification.
“Danny Gould confessed to assuming the identities of two adolescent siblings and infiltrating an online chatroom primarily frequented by teenagers. He intended to exploit the susceptibility of this vulnerable demographic, who are prone to being easily swayed and deceived.”
“I urge any parent reading this to seek further knowledge about their children’s online activities.” It is unequivocal that no one should employ the justification of ‘insufficient knowledge of the internet’ any longer.
I strongly urge you to communicate openly with your children, enquire about the applications and social media platforms they are utilising, and enhance your awareness to ensure their online safety. Organisations like the Lucy Faithful Foundation, NCA-CEOP, and Child Net provide abundant information and tools to help parents and children ensure online safety.