A retired factory worker from Wolverhampton has avoided prison after admitting he thought he was chatting to artificial intelligence when he told a schoolgirl they could 'get naked in bed'. David Nicholls, 74, was arrested following a report from a 'paedophile hunter' group member posing as a teenager on Facebook.
Details of the Offence
Wolverhampton Crown Court heard that Nicholls initiated a conversation with the supposed 13-year-old girl in December 2024. He shared his age and that he was retired, and soon moved the discussion towards sexual matters. Prosecutor Robert Cowley said Nicholls told the girl that 'if he were younger, he would love to be in bed with her'.
The girl mentioned she had 'never done anything with a boy before', prompting Nicholls to suggest she could perform a sex act. He also sent a non-indecent picture of himself in Blackpool and spoke about meeting at a hotel when she turned 16, adding they could 'get naked in bed'. When the girl said she was going for a bath, Nicholls replied that 'he would love to wash her back'.
Arrest and Police Interview
The girl asked if Nicholls wanted her telephone number, and he agreed. He sent a text that night saying 'sleep tight'. The next day, police arrested him. Nicholls accepted responsibility for the messages but insisted 'it was all banter and a joke'.
Mr Cowley told the court: "[He said] the messages were just words on a screen and he saw the account as artificial intelligence." Nicholls also told officers that he 'liked to visualise virgins and children' but would not act on those thoughts 'in real life'.
Defence and Background
Stephen Cadwaladr, defending, noted that Nicholls had no previous convictions and had worked in the same factory for 50 years. He said the defendant's wife was in the public gallery, adding: "Neither of them are in good health. They have spent their lives together, getting old, living in the same house, having a very limited social life. They have had no contact with the police before this arrest and it has terrified them."
Sentencing Remarks
Judge John Butterfield said the offending took place on a single day and noted that a pre-sentence report indicated Nicholls 'still struggles to accept responsibility'. He added: "It is sad to see someone aged 74 and of previous good character coming before the courts at all. It is not only sad, it is shameful on your part."
Nicholls admitted attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child. He received a 12-month community order with a 35-day rehabilitation activity requirement and a one-month curfew from 8pm to 6am, starting Friday, July 31. He must also sign the sex offenders register for five years and comply with a five-year sexual harm prevention order.
