A MAN from Abergele with “distorted fantasies about children” was jailed after committing 17 sexual offences.

James Geering, 30, of Towyn Road, was sentenced to two-and-a-half years’ imprisonment at Mold Crown Court today (July 24).

He had previously admitted the following charges:

  • Eight counts of breaching a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO).
  • Seven counts of making an indecent photograph of a child.
  • Attempting to cause a boy to engage in sexual activity.
  • Attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child.

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Prosecuting, Karl Scholz told the court that, in June 2016 at Manchester Crown Court, Geering was handed a two-year community order and five-year SHPO after being convicted of five sexual offences.

In May 2021, he was jailed for 10 months, and given a 10-year SHPO at Mold Crown Court, following three further sexual offences.

After his 2016 conviction, Geering moved from Greater Manchester to live with his grandmother in North Wales, where he already had acquaintances from his frequent trips there when he was younger.

On four occasions – in October 2017, December 2019 and 2020, and March 2020 – Geering breached his SHPO by staying at those acquaintances’ homes when their children were present.

He then breached his 2021 SHPO by using social media websites without having given police prior notice of joining them, and by using devices capable of accessing the internet.

Multiple mobile phones seized by police from Geering found images, files and conversations indicative of a sexual interest in children.

A “recurring theme,” Mr Scholz said, was Geering’s denial of responsibility for uploading or downloading such images, and his expression of disgust that someone would do such a thing.

Indeed, he claimed he had “turned his life around” since his previous prison sentence.

In February and March of this year, Geering was found to have used “Telegram Messenger” to ask for sexual photos of a boy, and to engage in sexual communication with another boy.

Defending, Duncan Bould said that, regarding him staying at his acquaintances’ homes in the presence of their children, “there was no distress caused”.

Mr Bould said: “None of the children mentioned ever came into any harm, nor were they at any risk of any harm.

“There was no distress caused to any child, nor to any parent, until they discovered the background of the defendant.”

Geering was said to have a “caring side” to his personality, and had been depressed, heavily alcohol-dependant and “isolated” when committing some of his offences.

Since being remanded in custody, his “mind is clearer,” Mr Bould added, with “rehabilitation at the forefront of his mind”.

Sentencing, Judge Niclas Parry told Geering that he had “distorted fantasies about children”.

His SHPO was ordered to continue, and he was made subject to sex offenders register notification requirements for life.

The items seized by police were ordered to be forfeited and destroyed, while Geering must also pay a statutory surcharge.

Judge Parry told him: “The time has come to put a stop to what appears to be close to out of control criminality by you.

“You simply have to realise that these orders are made to protect young children from people who have a sexual interest in young children.

“You’ve continued to offend.”