‘Mr Nice Guy’ sent a string of explicit messages and pictures on Snapchat after being caught in a sting on dating app Grindr
Ben Coulson outside Liverpool Crown Court(Image: Liverpool Echo)
A self-described “perv” told undercover police posing as a teenage boy “this feels like a trap” during a series of lewd Snapchat messages. Ben Coulson befriended the so-called youngster on Grindr, where he went by the username “Mr Nice Guy”, before exchanging a string of explicit texts and pictures.
However, unbeknown to him, he was being ensnared in a sting operation by an officer who had set up a decoy account on the dating app. He was today told that his actions had left a judge with a “stark decision”.
Liverpool Crown Court heard on Wednesday that Coulson, of Dearnley Avenue in St Helens, contacted the dummy profile on Grinder on July 23 last year. The 30-year-old, going by the username “Mr Nice Guy”, stated that he was “looking for hook ups” before sending a picture of himself “naked from the waist down” on a bed.
Nardeen Nemat, prosecuting, described how the conversation thereafter moved to Snapchat, when the undercover officer informed the defendant that he was “nearly 14 years old”. Coulson replied “this feels like a trap haha” in a message which was accompanied by a smiley face emoji.
Ben Coulson outside Liverpool Crown Court(Image: Liverpool Echo)
But, having then been sent a selfie showing a 12-year-old boy, he responded “oh f***, you’re cute” before sending another image of his penis. He went on to add: “Shame I don’t get a cheeky flash.”
Coulson told the boy that “they could do more” and he would “show him whatever he wants as long as he gets a little something in return”. Having been informed that the teen had to go out, he suggested that he should “go to Liverpool and perv” on him.
The following day, Coulson asked “when he was free” and said that he was “free that day” before sending another picture. This was accompanied with the message: “Want to hook up?”
Coulson thereafter detailed how he wanted to perform a sexual act in a car before sending further photographs of himself bare chested in bed with the captions “always horny” and “you don’t send many pics”. On July 25 2024, he went on to suggest that the boy should “w*** if you’re bored” and sent another image of his penis.
Police were ultimately able to able to trace him through his IP address and arrested him at his home on August 2. Under interview, Coulson, who has no previous convictions, “said he was bi-curious and using Snapchat to contact other men”, but denied having communicated with any males under the age of 18 and claimed that he believed the decoy was 19.
Ben Coulson outside Liverpool Crown Court(Image: Liverpool Echo)
Simon Gurney, defending, told the court: “These offences are now some 12 months old, and there has been no suggestion of any repetition or further offending in the intervening period. Importantly, there is substantial evidence of his positive good character.
“Your honour has a substantial number of references from friends and family, providing a wider aspect of this defendant. They show the man that he has been for 30 years, aside from these three days. It is clear that his conduct was an aberration. These are offences which are wholly out of character.
“It is clear from the references that he is a man who is spoken of as showing kindness and compassion and who is supportive of others. References speak of a man who is always ready to help others. He is a hard working, industrious man who has contributed with employment and community activities.
“Your honour knows about his health difficulties. He has struggled with those since his mid-teens but has approached them with fortitude, even raising money for charity. He is clearly ashamed and remorseful for his actions. He has spent time reflecting on them and has shown insight, and is willing to do whatever work is required to rehabilitate him.
“He has taken proactive steps to seek assistance from agencies. There is reference to the defendant’s mental health difficulties, the breakdown of his relationship, financial difficulties and struggles with his sexuality. It is an explanation, perhaps, for this aberration on his character.”
Coulson admitted attempted sexual communications with a child and attempting to cause a child to watch a sexual act. Appearing in the dock wearing glasses and a green blazer over a white shirt, he was handed a 10-month imprisonment suspended for 18 months with 100 hours of unpaid work and a rehabilitation activity requirement of up to 35 days.
Ben Coulson outside Liverpool Crown Court(Image: Liverpool Echo)
Sentencing, Recorder Richard Pratt KC said: “You believed that you were communicating with a boy who was in his early teenage years. Adults who seek to communicate in a sexual way with children do so knowing full well the risk of exploitation and corruption that can follow. By definition, it is done for sexual gratification and I am entirely satisfied that lay behind your offending in this case.
“The conversation did not endure for more than three days. In the scope of this particular type of offending, it is fair to say that it falls towards the lower end. You are a person of positive good character. You are hard working and you have taken realistic steps to address your conduct.
“I am entirely satisfied, in your case, that there is a good prospect of rehabilitation. The decision is a stark one, to pass a relatively short sentence of imprisonment or to pass a sentence which has the potential to give greater protection to the community.”
Coulson was also given a 10-year sexual harm prevention order. He will be required to sign the sex offenders’ register for the next decade.