Posted on the 24th September 2026 in PHTM News

DISGRACED NEWCASTLE PRIVATE HIRE DRIVER SPARED JAIL AFTER ONLINE GROOMING WITH SCHOOLBOY

A private hire driver from Newcastle who attempted to trade a taxi ride for sexual favours with an undercover officer posing as a schoolboy has avoided an immediate prison sentence.

David Richardson, 31, communicated via Snapchat in May with a profile he was told belonged to a 14-year-old schoolboy, during which he sent indecent images of himself and discussed picking the teenager up from school.

Prosecuting counsel John Crawford told the court: "They spoke about the officer paying for a taxi ride with the defendant in exchange for sexual favours." Richardson was identified partly because parts of his room and trainers appeared in the images he transmitted.

Appearing in court, Richardson pleaded guilty to attempted sexual communication with a child and attempting to cause a child to look at a sexual image.

Recorder Jonathan Sandiford KC noted that probation reports concluded Richardson possesses a "sexually deviant interest in children".

Mitigating on his behalf, Richard Herrmann stated that his client was suffering from depression at the time of the offences. He added that Richardson has lost his job as a taxi driver, plans to work in e-commerce, and intends to have no future contact with children.

Richardson was handed a 12-month prison sentence suspended for two years. Additionally, he has been ordered to sign the sex offenders register and comply with a sexual harm prevention order for a duration of ten years.


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