A man has appeared in court accused of arranging to meet a teenage boy for sexual activity.
Gareth Rinaldi, 34, has been charged with three offences following a paedophile hunter sting in Rodbourne, Swindon, on Monday evening (23 January)
The defendant, of St Austell Way, appeared at Swindon Magistrates’ Court yesterday (Tuesday 24 January).
He faces charges of attempting to cause a child aged 13 to 15 to watch or look at an image of sexual activity, attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child and arranging or facilitating the commission of child sex offence not involving penetration.
Keith Ballinger, prosecuting, alleged he communicated sexually with a paedophile hunter posing as a 14-year-old boy online before arranging to meet the child for sexual activity.
The case was deemed too serious to be dealt with in the magistrates’ court. The case was sent to Swindon Crown Court for a plea and trial preparation hearing on 24 February.
Rinaldi was remanded in custody.
