Locations
Kingswood Road, Nottingham, Nottingham City, NG8
Description
An online sex offender who was caught trying to groom someone he believed to be a 13-year-old girl has been jailed.
Giampiero Franchi was actually speaking to an undercover police officer in a chat room when he engaged them in sexual communications on 9 July 2024.
When the incident was passed to Nottinghamshire Police they arrested the 70-year-old and seized his mobile phone and other devices.
A series of indecent photographs, including 18 of the most serious Category A images, depicting the most severe abuse, were discovered.
There was also evidence Franchi had previously incited young children to engage in sexual activity online.
When he was interviewed by officers Franchi admitted he ‘needed help’.
Franchi, of Kingswood Road, Nottingham, pleaded guilty to inciting a girl under 13 to engage in sexual activity, three counts of making indecent images of children, attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child and possessing an extreme pornographic image.
At Nottingham Crown Court on Thursday (14 August) he was jailed for a total of five years. He was also made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and must sign on the Sex Offenders’ Register indefinitely.
Police Constable Summer Smith, of Nottinghamshire Police, said:
“Franchi thought he was talking to a young girl but was actually in conversation with a police officer.
“When the case was taken on by our detectives we uncovered the extent of his offending.
“Behind the disgusting images on his devices are real children who have been subjected to degrading abuse.
“Protecting children is of paramount importance to the force and we have teams of officers working on cases like this to protect victims and bring offenders to justice.
“I hope this case also serves as a warning to other parents about the danger people like Franchi can pose to their children via the internet.”