John Robert Reynolds, 43, suffered what a judge said was a ‘spectacular fall from grace’ after the encounter.

A former Lancaster city Labour councillor, he made an unsuccessful bid to become the Labour parliamentary candidate in the 2019 General Election and also served as a Carnforth town councillor.

At Carlisle Crown Court, the defendant pleaded guilty to attempting to communicate sexually with a child after an alternative charge, that he tried to arrange the commission of a child sex offence, was abandoned by the prosecution.

Brendan Burke, prosecuting at Carlisle Crown Court, said the defendant came to Carlisle on July 27 last year and was staying at the Halston Hotel in Warwick Road for reasons related to his then employment.

At the time, he had activated a Grindr profile for himself, through which he initiated contact with somebody who clearly identified himself as a young boy. 

The defendant sent [the boy] a nude picture of himself early in the conversation, said Mr Burke. But Reynolds was unwittingly communicating with an undercover police officer.

“The conversation had quickly become sexualised,” said Mr Burke. “The defendant said he was looking for fun with a guy.

“He went on to ask [the boy] to send pics; that request was made and remade again throughout their conversation.”

The undercover officer told Reynolds he liked boys but had not actually done anything. The defendant asked the ‘boy’ what he wanted to try. Encouraged by the defendant, they arranged to meet in Carlisle city centre.

When the boy asked the defendant what he wanted to do, he replied: “Whatever you want; we’ll see what happens.” Reynolds also asked the ‘boy’ if he wanted to go to the hotel where he was staying, saying it was nice.

They agreed to meet outside the Hallmark Hotel near Carlisle railway station, and that was where police arrested Reynolds at 8.40pm.

Judge Guy Mathieson told Reynolds: “You have no previous convictions, and a good work history. What a spectacular fall from grace to have you stood before this court today.”

The judge accepted that Reynolds was suffering a significant emotional crisis and that a combination of factors led to his offending. “But I reject entirely that you ever misunderstood the nature of these conversations with this person,” said the judge.

“You could not have missed the fact that this person was telling you that they were under age.”

Yet there had been a persistent attempt to communicate sexually. “There’s absolutely no doubt that you went out to meet what you thought would be an under age boy outside Carlisle railway station.”

The judge described that behaviour as ‘horrendous’. Accepting that the defendant learned a lesson from his brief time in custody, Judge Mathieson said Reynolds should understand how close he had come to custody.

He imposed 12 months jail, suspended for two years, ordering that the defendant must complete an accredited treatment programme.

Reynolds, of St Winifred’s Park, Halton, Lancashire, will be on the Sex Offender Register for a decade and subject to a five year sexual harm prevention order.

He must also complete 20 rehabilitation activity days.