Appeal court increases jail term after Grindr police sting

The Court of Appeal saw Woolner's sentence increased from 12 to 30 months

A former school bus driver who thought he was meeting a 13-year-old boy through a dating app has had his jail term doubled by the Court of Appeal.

Robert Alan Woolner, 55, of Gonville Gardens, Stevenage, Hertfordshire, was arrested after driving to meet "Ben" on 28 October last year.

He admitted a series of offences - and was jailed for 12 months in July.

Lord Justice Davis ruled Woolner's sentence was "unduly lenient" and increased the term to 30 months.

The court heard that Woolner had contacted someone he believed to be a teenager - but was an undercover police officer - on the gay dating app Grindr.

He asked "Ben" about his sexual experiences and requested an intimate picture, the court heard.

Woolner admitted one count of attempting to arrange or facilitate the commission of a child sex offence, one count of possessing extreme pornography and a number of offences of recording an image of a person beneath their clothing without consent.

Woolner had attempted to contact a child on the gay dating app, Grindr

Officers found a film showing an extreme sexual image on his phone and a number of videos showing underneath the skirts of some schoolgirls.

The videos were recorded during Woolner's employment as a school bus driver, the judge told the court.

The court also heard Woolner had pleaded guilty at the first opportunity, at a magistrates' court hearing in June.

Lord Justice Davis, sitting with two other senior judges, said the sentence "must be judged to be unduly lenient" and that a total jail term of 30 months was "appropriate".

In a statement after the hearing, Solicitor General, Michael Ellis QC, said: "The offender was caught trying to sexually exploit a vulnerable child, as well as taking advantage of young schoolchildren.

"It is therefore important that his sentence truly reflects the gravity of his crimes, and I am pleased that the judge has agreed to increase the offender's sentence."

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