Internet Groomer Jailed

[Guest]

A 64 year-old paedophile described by police as the "most prolific Internet groomer ever caught" has been jailed for five years.

Former postal worker, Douglas Lindsell, was sentenced yesterday at Kingston Crown Court after pleading guilty to attempting to abduct a young girl.

Lindsell, from Twickenham, gained the trust of his victims by pretending to be a teenage boy. Police said that Lindsell had "overtly sexual" contact with more than 70 girls from the UK and overseas.

Police used the sentence to warn parents of the dangers of chatrooms and the potential threats caused by unmonitored use of the Net.

Children's charity NSPCC described the case as the "worst and most frightening case of Internet grooming" known so far".

Said NSPCC Internet safety expert Chris Atkinson: "It clearly shows the extraordinary lengths that sex abusers will go to target and lure children for their own sexual gratification, and highlights the dangers of internet chatrooms. It also shows that the recent decision by MSN to close its chatrooms in a bid to protect children from people like this was correct.

"This sentence shows these crimes are unacceptable and will be severely punished, and makes plain that there is no hiding place on the Internet for sex abusers."

source: The Register

How can people honestly defend against sickos like this????

[Guest nellie2]

I was reading a bit in the paper about this today and it got me to wondering what we, as an on line comunity, can do to protect the children on the net. This is so worrying.

[moon]

It also shows that the recent decision by MSN to close its chatrooms in a bid to protect children from people like this was correct.

That was a purely commercial decision in the guise of moral responsibility.

You can't keep kids offline. It's their world. I don't profess to have any answers but I've yet to hear of a 'groomer' who inflicted any pain or even worse. You can't say that about the pervs. wandering the streets.

[Guest Shirley_Crabtree]

It also shows that the recent decision by MSN to close its chatrooms in a bid to protect children from people like this was correct.

That was a purely commercial decision in the guise of moral responsibility.

You can't keep kids offline. It's their world. I don't profess to have any answers.

I have ranted about this subject elsewhere within this folder and agree with you wholeheartedly...I also DO have the answer.

Make sure that the family PC or the PC your children use is in a family room and monitor what they are doing....if they don't like it take away their online priveliges...it's as simple as that....Better safe than sorry!!

The way I see it lots of "modern" parents use PCs as a "babysitter"....a babysitter on which you're always only one or two clicks away from porn,bestiality,nonces,groomers...I guess you get my drift.

WE are our childrens' best chance of safety in this modern,high-tech world....it's OUR responsibilty to watch over them and protect them.

The police aren't particularly bothered...their resources are generally aimed at "soft-targets" namely motorists.

MSN don't care...when they realised they maybe weren't moderating their chat rooms as well as they could/should be they didn't step-up moderation(therefore incurring greater costs).They merely announced closure,thereby driving kids(and perverts) to find another,maybe less well moderated,source of chat.

Chat-rooms are 10-a-penny,my 12 year old son has his own!!

MSN realised that if they were to be seen as responsible hosts it would cost them a pretty penny and yanked them.

The reason I don't worry about my lads chat-room and indeed his general internet goings-on is because I watch over what he is doing...I TAKE PART.

Admittedly when he reaches 14 or 15 he'll request/demand/require more privacy...I just hope that by then the common sense approach to using the internet that I have taught him over the years will make his internet experiences as safe as possible.

Cheers.

Shirl.

PS FIVE YEARS!!!??? The *beep* should have got life!!!..Give me 2 minutes with the nonce and 2 house-bricks....or better still a gun...I'll show you justice :angry:

[Paul]

5 Years is a **** joke :angry: :angry: :angry:

[moon]

Wouldn't you just love to have millions to spend ? Imagine the havoc you could wreak in the ranks of the ungodly. One rich hacker could form an army.

[andsome]

Well said Shirl. I too don't think that he got long enough.

[-pops-]

Although generally an advocate of love and peace (betraying my hippie days), I think the "camel method" of two bricks is the best so far with the proviso they are clamped together with a grinding motion, slowly but firmly.

Careful to keep your fingers out of the way ;)

[andsome]

Although generally an advocate of love and peace (betraying my hippie days), I think the "camel method" of two bricks is the best so far with the proviso they are clamped together slowly but firmly.

Careful to keep your fingers out of the way ;)

Painful, but receives my full endorsement.