September 2013

Facebook and text paedophile Alexander Barnes-Hines jailed

A man who used Facebook and text messages to lure two 14-year-old girls into sexual relationships has been jailed for more than three years.

Alexander Barnes-Hines admitted three counts of sexual activity with a child and one of sexual grooming.

The 23-year-old from Reading was jailed at the town’s crown court.

He will serve concurrent sentences of three years and four months for sexual activity with a child and 12 months for sexual grooming.

Thames Valley Police praised the victims for giving evidence.

Det Con James Kyriacopoulos, from Reading Force CID, said: “These were despicable offences involving underage victims who were contacted via social media and by mobile phone.”

Barnes-Hines, from Waverley Road, will also be subject to a sexual offences prevention order until further notice.

Its terms include no unsupervised contact with girls aged under 16 and prohibit him from owning any device capable of accessing the internet without the capability to retain and display a history of internet use.

He will also be prevented from having any contact via the internet with anyone known or believed to be aged under 16.