Lorry driver caught by paedophile hunters sending sexually specific texts to ’12-year-old woman’ simply months after he was launched from jail for comparable offences is jailed for 3 years
- Craig Edgeler, 52, from Lanarkshire, tried to satisfy up with a 12-year-old woman
- He exchanged sexual messages with a decoy run by anti paedophile vigilantes
- Police arrested Edgeler after being tipped off by the Shatter the Silence group
- On the time of his arrest, Edgeler was on early launch for the same offence
A trucker caught sending vile messages in a paedophile hunter sting simply 5 months after being launched from jail for comparable offences has been jailed for 3 years.
Craig Edgeler, 52, struck up a dialog with a 12-year-old woman known as ‘Darcy’ however turned shortly flip the chat in direction of intercourse unaware he was speaking to an grownup working as a part of the Shatter The Silence group.
They purpose to show adults making an attempt to satisfy youngsters for sexual exercise.
He despatched a string of wicked messages earlier than sending the feminine decoy specific pictures.
Truck driver Craig Edgeler, pictured, was confronted at his residence by anti-paedophile vigilantes about messages he had exchanged with what he believed was a 12-year-old woman
Edgeler, pictured at his flat in Shotts, Lanarkshire, later pleaded responsible to sending sexual messages and pictures between September and October final yr
Additional messaging led to Edgeler asking to satisfy at his residence and a grocery store.
Members of the vigilante group confronted the serial fiend at his flat in Shotts, Lanarkshire, and streamed it stay on Fb.
Police arrived and arrested Edgeler who advised them: ‘I have been an fool.’
Edgeler appeared at Hamilton Sheriff Courtroom and admitted sending sexual messages and pictures between September and October final yr.
Sheriff Alasdair MacFadyen jailed him and positioned him on the intercourse offenders’ register indefinitely.
He was additionally slapped with an eight yr sexual offences prevention order (SOPO) which can ban him from contact with anybody underneath the age of 16 and restrict his web use.
Depute fiscal Jennifer Cunningham advised the courtroom {that a} member of vigilante group Shatter The Silence created a ‘decoy’ account on a relationship web site claiming to be a 12-year-old woman, Darcy.
On September 7, 2021, Edgeler, utilizing a profile ‘Craig31’ and contacted Darcy.
Edgeler urged his meant sufferer to contact him over WhatsApp when he requested her about boyfriends and sexual expertise. He additionally wished ‘horny pics’ of the 12-year-old woman.
The courtroom heard after dialog turned sexual, the volunteer contacted fellow members of the group who then confronted Edgeler and alerted the police.
Ms Cunningham advised the courtroom: ‘On the police station, he grew to become extremely emotional and was crying and freely said “I have been an fool” and when requested to elucidate replied “nicely I’ve received a telephone”.
‘The accused made reference to his perception that he was messaging a baby and had additionally used WhatsApp to message the decoy and suggested officers the place they may discover the gadget inside his residence tackle.’
In April final yr, Edgeler was jailed for 2 years after he admitted sending sexual messages and a sexual picture to a woman he thought was 12.
The sentence was backdated to June 2020 which means he was launched in March 2021 on licence.
Gerry McGuire, defending, mentioned: ‘He accepts his guilt on this matter and I believe he was inebriated when he contacted these folks.
‘There was a troublesome background for him however it clearly does not excuse his behaviour right here and he totally appreciates the scenario he now finds himself in.’
Sheriff MacFadyen mentioned: ‘It defies perception that you simply behaved on this means if you have been on early launch from jail and the offending was nearly equivalent.
‘Clearly custody is the one disposal for this conduct and should you hold behaving on this means then the sentences will simply hold getting longer and longer.
‘I am additionally granting a sexual offences prevention order for eight years which is stringent in its phrases however, given your historical past of offending, they’re essential.’
