Married British Airways pilot, who tried to lure 14-year-old boy this elderly parents’ home for sex avoids prison because judge says ‘losing your job is enough’
- Gary Morris was snared by paedophile hunter group Guardians of the North
- He invited what he thought was a 14-year-old boy to his parent’s house for sex
- He was greeted by police officers who had been tipped-off by the group
- He was handed a suspended a 12-month jail sentence suspended for a year
- Morris lost his job as a British Airways pilot after he was snared by the group
- Judge Edward Bindloss said losing his job as a pilot was punishment enough
Morris denied trying to meet the child following a sexual grooming trial and said he had been ‘distracted’ after being told he was a schoolboy. Morris is pictured outside Newcastle Crown Court today
A former British Airways pilot who was sacked after trying to lure an underage boy to his elderly parents’ home for sex escaped jail because a judged deemed ‘losing his job was enough’.
Gary Morris, 46, was tricked by a fake profile of a boy called Tom created by the paedophile hunters Guardians of the North on the gay dating app Grindr.
Morris who has since been sacked by British Airways was found guilty of attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming after a trial last month at Newcastle Crown Court.
Today Judge Edward Bindloss handed him a 12-month jail sentence suspended for a year after telling Morris: ‘You have been suspended as a British Airways pilot, which is a prestigious job and a job with a substantial income.
‘In my judgment, that, to some extent, is a substantial punishment to you.’
The court heard the 46-year-old, who lives in Brighton with his husband had been duped by Guardians of the North who set up fake internet profiles to expose adults looking for illegal contact with children.
An earlier hearing last month heard, Morris had gone to a pub in the city centre and drunk around eight pints between 3pm and 11pm before getting a lift home from his father.
Morris, who had 20 years flying experience, was visiting his parents in Sunderland on December 28, 2016 and invited Tom over to their house for sex.
He had plotted to sneak the ‘teenager’ into his house while his elderly parents were asleep.
Morris denied trying to meet the child following a sexual grooming trial and said he had been ‘distracted’ after being told he was a schoolboy. He is pictured outside Newcastle Crown Court at a hearing last month
The group tipped off police and, when Morris answered the door thinking Tom had arrived, he was faced by officers who arrested him.
At the earlier hearing, he claimed to have ‘missed’ the message which stated the boy’s age.
He downloaded Grindr and began talking to other males online when he began talking to ‘Tom’. He told jurors to would download and delete the app as he did not want his husband finding out.
Morris previously denied trying to meet the child and said he had been ‘distracted’ after being told he was a schoolboy.
John Dye, defending, said: ‘It was moments of madness two years ago which the defendant has had time to reflect on.’
Judge Edward Bindloss said the case was aggravated because Morris had claimed to be 38 and because he had discussed engaging in oral sex with the decoy.
The judge said Morris was also of ‘positive good character’, hard-working and a kind and caring friend.
‘It is unlikely, following the conviction and sentence, that British Airways will re-employ you.’
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The judge said Morris, who has been in no trouble before or since the offence, had been described in references to the court as being ‘responsible, sociable, kind, caring, hard working and a good friend’.
Judge Bindloss told him: ‘I am confident you are going to stay out of trouble.’
John Dye, defending, said Morris is a ‘gentleman who is susceptible to assistance’ from the authorities and said no real child was actually involved in the offence.
Mr Dye added: ‘It was moments of madness on that night two years ago, which the defendant has had time to reflect on.’
A spokesperson for British Airways said: ‘He no longer works for then airline and has not flown since his arrest in 2016.’
Morris must also carry out rehabilitation requirements and will be on the sex offenders register for 10 years.
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