A FORMER corporal in the Royal Engineers asked who he thought was a 14-year-old boy if he wanted him to carry out sexual acts in his van. 

Sean Golder began messaging the ‘boy’ on social media on March 8, saying he was on his way to Carmarthen and was “looking for fun”.  

The profile – which was being run by an undercover police officer – said they were 19, but in their first message said he was 14 and asked if that was too young, prosecutor Ieuan Rees said.

Golder replied: “Lol where are you? Are you looking for fun?”, adding “We could have fun in my van if you’re genuine”.

A meeting was organised, but was cancelled, but the pair exchanged numbers and moved the conversation on to WhatsApp.

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Golder asked the ‘boy’ for a photograph, and when the officer sent one, replied: “Wow is that really you?  I need you to run here now”.

“It is plainly very obviously a picture of a young boy, I would say no older than 14,” said Recorder Simon Mills. “The very idea that he thought the person was an adult is simply ludicrous.”

The defendant also spoke about them touching each other in the back of his van, and suggested “getting undressed” and video calling, Mr Rees said.

Golder suggested meeting the ‘boy’ at his home, but the officer replied it would be “too risky”. Instead, it was agreed they would meet in the Morrisons car park in Carmarthen on March 10.

Ahead of the meeting, Golder asked: “Do you want me to touch you, w*** you, and suck you?”.

When Golder arrived at the store, he was arrested by police.

The court heard that Golder’s profile name was “longsuck” and his profile picture was of an erect penis. He sent the ‘boy’ a picture of a topless woman, and would ask him about his sexual preferences.

Golder had also taken poppers to the attempted meeting, and told him they would “turn him in to a s***”.

Golder, 55, formerly of The Pound in Pembroke Dock and now of Cosheston, has no previous convictions.

Helen Randall, defending, said that Golder had left school at 16 and joined the army. He was in the army for 23 years and reached the rank of corporal, having served in Germany, Northern Ireland, Bosnia, Iraq and Afghanistan.

Ms Randall said Golder had made use of his time in custody by completing English and maths qualifications and by taking up jobs.

She said the defendant “has been punished to a high level already by the time he’s served waiting for today’s sentence”.

The court heard Golder was found to have searched for “naked children”, “naked teen schoolgirls” and “young boys naked on his phone”, and was alleged to have been found with two knives.

However, he had denied this, and the prosecution elected not to move forward to trial on these charges, instead proceeding with the guilty pleas for attempting to meet a child after sexual grooming and attempted sexual communication with a child.

Recorder Mills said that he was in “no doubt” that had penetrative sexual activity would have taken place if the ‘boy’ was real and had met up with Golder.

He sentenced Golder to 19 months in prison for attempting to meet a child after grooming, with a nine-month concurrent sentence for attempted sexual communication with a child.

Golder must register as a sex offender for 10 years, and was made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order for the same period of time.