Paedophile drove 200 miles from Swindon to Leeds to meet girl in KFC car park

Lee Price targeted two online profiles of young girls, but had no idea both were being run by the group, Predator Exposure. He drove for almost four hours from his home in Swindon to pick up one of the supposed girls, and drive her back down south, but was cornered by the group at the restaurant on Kirkstall Road.

Leeds Crown Court heard that the 54-year-old sent a request to speak with the first girl over Facebook on May 31, 2021. The decoy profile made it clear that she was only 13, but he continued messaging which “quickly became sexual”, prosecutor Victoria Barker said.

He offered to pick her up, and described sex acts he wanted to perform. However, just days later, he targeted another profile who also made it clear they too were only 13.

Miss Barker said: “Over the next five days he engaged in lengthy conversations that were highly sexualised and involved him wanting a sexual relationship. He described in detail what he wanted to do.”

He requested photographs and sent her one of his penis. He then arranged to meet her at the KFC but was met by the hunter group, who livestreamed the confrontation.

He was arrested at the scene, but gave no comments during his interview. The court heard he has seven previous convictions but none for sexual offences.

Price, of Whitworth Road, Swindon, admitted two counts of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, and one of attempting to meet a child for sexual purposes. Mitigating, Ayesha Smart said he had been suffering from depression, that was being made redundant at the time and that his long-term partner had taken her own life.

Judge Neil Clark gave him a two-year jail sentence, suspended for two years, and said: “You have expressed genuine remorse. Your behaviour is linked to your mental health, your isolation and lack of relationships led to this offending. You have virtually lost everything.”

He was ordered to enrol in sex offender programme, given 40 rehabilitation days, a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) to limit his internet use and put on the sex offender register for 10 years.