Former bus driver caught red-handed on dating site ‘Fab Guys’

A pensioner who tried to send perverted messages to a 14-year-old boy has been arrested in an undercover police operation.

Frank Robinson, 79, first made contact with the person on the dating site “Fab Guys” before transferring the conversation to WhatsApp. During the conversation, Robinson sent a photo of a car steering wheel showing an erect penis.

He sent sexual messages, thinking he was talking to a 14-year-old boy called Dylan. In reality, the pervert was talking to an undercover cop who worked to catch online predators.

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Robinson, a former coach driver, was arrested and pleaded guilty to attempted sexual communication with a child and attempted incitement of a child to sexual activity. Preston Crown Court heard he was so ashamed he moved out of the home he shared with his partner of 30 years.

Judge Sara Dodd said: “You are an elderly man of good character and you have worked hard all your life to help members of the community. I accept that you are remorseful and have had to bear the burden of great shame. You brought it on yourself.”

She sentenced Robinson, of Landing Lane, Harrop Fold, to 16 months suspended for 21 months with 40 rehabilitation activity days, a 10-year sexual harm prevention order and 10 years on the sex offenders register.

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