February 2020

Man told ’12-year-old autistic girl’ he wanted to ‘make love to her’

A socially isolated man told an “autistic, mute, 12-year-old girl” he wanted to make love to her.

But the “girl” was actually a paedophile hunter who reported Andrew Collins to police.

Collins chatted to the “girl” online, who repeatedly told him she was aged 12, at school and sexually naive.

The 54-year-old, of Fishponds Road in Fishponds, pleaded guilty to attempting to incite a girl to engage in sexual activity, attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming and sexual communication with a child.

The recorder Mr Ben Compton QC handed him a nine-month jail term, suspended for two years.

He told Collins to undergo treatment and rehabilitation and handed him a ten-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order designed to stop him reoffending.

Neil Treharne, prosecuting, said the paedophile hunter described himself as “Hannah, aged 12” when he chatted with Collins between April and August 2018, via dating app Skout.

On February 19, Bristol Crown Court heard the hunter said Hannah was autistic and mute and stated throughout she was aged 12.

Mr Treharne said: “The conversation very quickly turned sexual.

“Mr Collins repeatedly said he wanted to kiss, cuddle and touch her and he wanted a picture of her in her bra.

“He talked about sexual intercourse by saying he wanted to make love to her.”

However, due to the “girl’s” age, this would have constituted sexual abuse.

Collins suggested he meet the child at either a KFC or McDonald’s in Bristol city centre, the court heard.

There was no meeting, but sexualised talk continued and Collins regularly suggested attending the girl’s supposed home in Fishponds at night, when her mum was supposedly at work.

Ultimately lengthy chat logs between the two were handed to police and Collins was arrested.