UPDATE: Does NOT live in Exeter – That is his twin

June 2016

Jailed: churchgoer who befriended Christian couple and sent explicit messages to their teenage son

A churchgoer befriended by a Christian couple has been jailed after sending explicit messages to their teenage son on Facebook.

Graham Forson, of Edmondsham Road, Verwood, who was described as a ‘solitary’ man, sent a string of messages to the vulnerable youngster via the social networking site.

Judge John Harrow sentenced the 35-year-old sex offender, who faced a charge of inciting a child under the age of 16 to engage in sexual activity, to nine months in prison on Friday at Bournemouth Crown Court.

He said: “You attended a local church, and there you met a decent Christian family who befriended you to the extent that they invited you to their home.

“You shared meals with them and met their children.”

He said Forson even “became a nuisance”, but was still treated with kindness by the family.

The offender was particularly friendly with the young victim, taking him out on drives and trips.

Judge Harrow said: “It all seemed to be perfectly innocent and to a large extent at that time it was.

“You clearly developed great affection for him and you indulged in exchanges on Facebook with him of a sexual nature at a time when you were more than 20 years older than he was.”

He said he believed the victim felt the messages are “humorous and a joke”, but added: “You hoped this may lead to some form of sexual contact in the future.”

Although a report completed by the probation service recommended that Forson receive a suspended sentence, the judge said he felt he had no choice but to send the offender to prison.

“Your conduct is so serious that I am imposing an immediate prison sentence,” he said.