Instagram criticised by judge over schoolgirl grooming chat logs
A crown court judge has criticised Instagram for failing to hand over chat logs between a 39-year-old man and an underage girl.
The Exeter Crown Court judge criticised the social media platform, owned by Facebook, as he jailed a Wolverhampton man who used Instagram’s Daddy Dom Little Girl community to groom a 15-year-old.
Dominic Nielen-Groen sent a stream of messages to the girl, before driving 167 miles from his home in the Low Hill area to meet her at a play park in Seaton, East Devon.
She went home but he carried on sending messages – trying to set up a second meeting on the beach or at a nearby nature reserve.
Computer engineer Nielen-Groen used the name Papa Bear.
Denied
Police traced Nielen-Groen after the girl contacted police earlier this year to his home in Annan Avenue.
Birmingham City University graduate Nielen-Groen denied meeting a child after grooming with the intention of committing a sexual offence but was later convicted of the charge after a four-day trial.
During the trial, he claimed the girl had never told him her age and he believed her to be an adult.
He said he travelled to Devon to meet her but had no intention of taking part in any sexual activity – and said he was shocked when she told him her age for the first time.
He was jailed for 18 months by Recorder Mr Jonathan Barnes, who also put him on the sex offenders register and made a Sexual Harm Prevention Order which restricts future contact with children and enables the police to monitor his use of the internet.
The judge criticised Instagram’s failure to hand over chat logs of the conversations between Nielen-Groen and the girl.
He said: “Sometimes these social media companies put misplaced loyalty to their customers before the administration of justice.
“I am quite sure that many members, including you, join the community because they have a sexual interest in children. You flattered the girl.
"You eventually travelled to meet her in Devon and you intended to commit a sexual offence. You knew full well she was under 16.”