Giles Dee-Shapland, 51, also a registered psychotherapist and hypnotherapist encouraged ‘Ben’ to play with himself and promised to take him to gents’ toilets to witness or engage in gay sex.
Describing himself as a ‘Holistic Sex Therapist’ and member of the British Society of Clinical Hypnosis Dee-Shapland employed his skills and experience to groom the boy.
At Isleworth Crown Court he received twenty-two months imprisonment, suspended for two years and is now subject to a ten-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order, prohibiting unsupervised contact with children.
Church youth group leader Dee-Shapland, of Walham Green Court, Cedarne Road, Fulham describes himself as ‘Sexpert at SimplySxy’ with a special interest in trauma and psychosexual disorder.
Before the trial he pleaded guilty to one count of attempting to cause a child to engage in sexual activity on September 19, 2020.
The jury unanimously convicted him of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child on August 8, 2020 and attempting to meet a child on October 3, 2020 after grooming.
Dee-Shapland was exposed by the citizen-led Phoenix group, who confronted him at Bayswater Underground Station, where he had arranged to meet the boy.
He has since complained about the “public shaming” aspect of his exposure as a sex offender.
“This was a decoy person operated by the so-called paedophile hunter group Phoenix,” explained prosecutor Oliver Wellings.
Dee-Shapland was on an adult internet chatroom when he began communicating with ‘Ben’.
“This defendant engaged in extensive communication about his sexual experience and encouraged ‘Ben’ to pleasure himself and arranged to meet him to ’show him the sights.’
“There was extensive grooming with ‘Ben’ who was a real thirteen year-old boy as far as the defendant knew. The amount of chat was considerable over a three-month period and was persistent and prolonged.”
Judge Lindsey Rose told first-time-offender Dee-Shapland: “Ben stated that he was thirteen years-old, but that did not stop you for a moment.
“I do not accept that communication was for friendship, it was for sexual reasons and it lasted three months.
“I have seen the large amount of messages sent back and forth and within a few messages you started talking about sexual matters and your sexual urges.
“You continually pushed the conversation back to sexual topics for your own sexual gratification.
“You hoped that this would develop further and pushed him to say how he felt about you.
“You saw your opportunity to meet this young boy when he said he was coming to London.
“You did not plan to just show him around, but to take him to mens’ toilets and your intention was for him to be involved or watch others engage in sexual activity.
“In clear manipulating behaviour you told him what to say to his mother about meeting you.
“You are a trained psychotherapist and sex therapist and you used your training and expertise in those online conversations. It is clear you used that knowledge and training to manipulate what you thought was a young child.
“I’m told you have been subject to shaming online and face-to-face and have not been able to assist at your church, where you have been an active member.
“You still do not accept you are sexually attracted to children and are someone who cannot face your criminal behaviour.
“These are very serious matters,” Judge Rose told Dee-Shapland, adding she was only able to suspend the sentence because she felt he was capable of addressing his offending.
“The defendant has been a member of a regulatory body and I want to check they are aware of these convictions and it is noted on their register,” added the judge.
“He is not practicing and has not been for some time,” said Dee-Shapland’s lawyer Helen Butcher.
“This was one very unfortunate episode out of the blue. This has been quite a shattering experience for him.
“He felt he was of high regard and was seen by others in a high regard, but there has now been public shaming, which is perhaps unique to these offences, causing anxiety for his own safety and stress.
“He is assessed as a ‘low risk’ of re-conviction and there has been nothing since September, 2020.
“He is described as isolated, lonely and seeking meaningful relationships.”
Dee-Shapland was also sentenced to a six-month electronically-monitored tagged curfew between 9pm and 6am and must complete a thirty day rehabilitation activity requirement.
He must also sign the sex offenders register for ten years.
This story, with the photos was sent to every daily National newspaper. None used it, not even for their websites. Poor.
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