Ex-councillor William Kirkbride jailed for child sex offence

A "predatory" former councillor has been jailed after sending explicit messages to an undercover officer he thought was a 14-year-old boy.

William Kirkbride, 57, had initiated a conversation with what he believed was a boy on dating app Grindr in October.

It quickly "turned sexual" with Kirkbride saying he was "in need of some fun", Carlisle Crown Court heard.

The ex-Copeland Borough Council member, of Queen Street, Whitehaven, was jailed for 28 months on Friday.

Kirkbride was told three times the "boy" was 14 and an the second occasion, after he asked "am I not too young for you?", the then 55-year-old replied: "The law is clear on that but who follows the law these days?"

The undercover officer responded by saying he was a "lot younger than him and worried about being blocked off the platform".

The former Labour councillor replied that he would not "grass" on him, the court heard.

Kirkbride arranged a meeting at Whitehaven train station on 27 October, where two police officers arrested him.

While in the back of the police vehicle, he said: "Well I'm bang to rights aren't I? You've got me guv. Am I going to be in Durham for Christmas?"

When interviewed, Kirkbride admitted sending the messages but initially maintained that he believed him to be over the age of 18.

He later pleaded guilty on an agreed formal basis to a charge of arranging or facilitating the commission of a child sex offence.

It stated that there would have been "sexual touching" and that he believed the "boy" to be under 16.

In sentencing, Recorder Ian Unsworth QC told Kirkbride he was a "predatory paedophile" who must follow a sexual harm prevention order and sign the sex offenders' register indefinitely.