Online sex offender jailed after undercover sting

Giampiero Franchi will have to sign the sex offenders register for life

An online sex offender who was caught trying to groom someone he thought was a 13-year-old girl has been jailed.

Giampiero Franchi, 70, from Nottingham, was actually speaking to an undercover police officer in a chat room when he engaged in sexual communications on 9 July 2024.

A series of indecent photographs, including 18 of the most serious category A images, depicting the most severe abuse, were discovered on his devices after his arrest.

On Thursday, he was jailed for five years at Nottingham Crown Court.

Nottinghamshire Police said there was also evidence Franchi had previously incited young children to engage in sexual activity online.

'Protect victims'

When he was interviewed by officers, he told them he "needed help".

He pleaded guilty to inciting a girl under 13 to engage in sexual activity and three counts of making indecent images of children.

He also admitted attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child and possessing an extreme pornographic image.

In addition to the jail sentence, he was handed a sexual harm prevention order and must sign the sex offenders register indefinitely.

PC Summer Smith said: "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."