A former Tory councillor ‘wanted to sexually abuse’ a teen boy, a court heard.
William Horley pleaded guilty to attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, and was sentenced at Swindon Magistrates’ Court on 12 February.
The 47-year-old defendant, who was a parish councillor for Chiseldon and Lawn in recent years, spoke to a profile on Grindr – which had been set up by a paedophile hunter.
Between 12 and 19 March 2024, he spoke about the sexual activity he would have with the boy and the sexual acts he wanted to carry out. He also sent the profile a nude photo of himself.
Horley, of Orchard Road, Marlborough, was sentenced to an 18-month community order with the requirement to carry out 40 days of rehabilitation activity. He was also fined £3,000.
The defendant was ordered to register as a sex offender for five years.
Detective Constable Jason Walsh from The Child Internet Exploitation Team said: “We often work in conjunction with other agencies, such as the South West Regional Organised Crime Unit, to both protect children and ensure offenders are identified and arrested.
“The work we do undoubtedly prevents offenders like Horley from going on and abusing vulnerable children and I hope this case sends a strong message to our communities that we are committed to targeting serious offenders who have the potential to cause serious and significant harm.”
