Royal Navy sailor, 21, caught out by paedophile hunters when he thought he was meeting girl, 15, for sex avoids jail but faces end of his career

Kyle Catmull, 21, was confronted by a member of 'TRAP' when he went to meet what he thought was a young girl for sex in Fareham, Hampshire. A still from footage of the sting is pictured


A Royal Navy sailor who was snared by 'paedophile-hunter' vigilantes posing as a 15-year-old girl has avoided jail but faces losing his career.
Kyle Catmull, 21, was confronted by a member of 'TRAP' when he went to meet what he thought was a young girl for sex in Fareham, Hampshire.
Video footage of the sting, which was posted on social media, shows Catmull breaking down in tears as he is confronted. 
He was given an eight month prison sentence at Portsmouth Crown Court, which was suspended for two years, after admitting a charge of attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming.

Although he has avoided jail, he could lose his job as sailors who receive jail sentences are considered for discharge from the navy.  

During his previous appearance last month, the court heard he had completed his 10-week basic training in HMS Rayleigh, Plymouth last summer. 
In the clip recorded on July 24 last year. Catmull is asked: 'Are you in the Navy?' Catmull replies: 'Yes.'
The TRAP member asks him: 'Should you not know better?'
Again, Catmull replies: 'Yes.'
He is then asked: 'As a representative of our country fighting, you would be a hero fighting for our country and doing what you do, yes?'
Catmull again simply replies: 'Yes.'
The TRAP decoy tells him: 'You've now villainised yourself by doing it.'
The court heard he went on a legitimate dating website called Badoo.
Prosecutor Daniel Sawyer said the 'girl' told him she was 15.
The conversation moved to WhatsApp and became sexualised before the pair arranged to meet at an Asda store in Fareham, with Catmull bringing a condom.
It was there he was confronted by members of TRAP and later arrested.
Defence barrister Daniel Reilly said his client had accepted being 'naive and stupid' but there were 'no sinister features' with no pressure put on the girl for sex and no indecent images asked for or sent.
He said positive references about Catmull from the Royal Navy showed 'the brightest of futures - now laying in tatters'.
Judge William Ashworth said he had shown 'evident remorse'.
Catmull was ordered to sign on the sex offenders register and take part in a sex offenders programme with 20 days of rehabilitation.
A Royal Navy spokesperson said: 'The Service will now consider the effect of this conviction on his career.
'While we cannot comment on specific cases, the awarding of a custodial sentence - including suspended custodial sentences - would normally result in consideration of an individual's discharge from the Service'.
Powered by Blogger.