Two police inspectors have welcomed the sentence of a former councillor who was jailed after sending explicit messages to an undercover police officer who he thought was a 14-year-old boy.

William Kirkbride, 57, of Queen Street, Whitehaven, had gone to meet the boy at Whitehaven railway station in October last year, but police were waiting to arrest him.

Kirkbride had been sending explicit messages to an undercover officer, who told Kirkbride he was a 14-year-old boy, on the dating app, Grindr.

The former councillor, who represented the Harbour ward on Copeland Council, was sentenced to 28 months in prison at Carlisle Crown Court on Friday.

'We are proactive'

Detective Inspector Andy Myers, of Cumbria Police, said: “Our priority is to protect vulnerable victims and we are proactive in our approach in bringing offenders to justice and safeguarding victims.

“This is just one instance in which we have worked jointly with our colleagues in the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit to target an individual who thought he was communicating with a child online.

“The Cyber and Digital Crime Units is a dedicated unit of officers trained and skilled to specifically deal with these type of offences - and I can reassure the people of Cumbria that the team will continue to work tirelessly behind-the-scenes to keep children and other vulnerable people safe, as well as track down anyone exploiting them.”

'We will use every tactic and technological advancement available'

DCI Andy Buckthorpe, of the North West Regional Organised Crime Unit, who worked with Cumbria Police on the investigation, added: “We welcome the sentencing of William Kirkbride and hope that the public feel safer in the knowledge that this sexual predator, who was a significant risk to children, is now behind bars.

“Here at the NWROCU, we work with UK forces, agencies and CEOP (the Child Exploitation Online Protection centre), as well as agencies in other countries who share our desire and determination to protect children from depraved and dangerous offenders such as Kirkbride.

"Law enforcement operates across the internet and we will use every tactic and technological advancement available to ensure people cannot and do not get away with the terrible crimes they have committed.

“I would urge anyone who has been a victim of child abuse, or thinks a child is being abused, to contact police immediately on 101, where a report can be made in confidence.”

READ MORE: Ex-councillor William Kirkbride jailed for child sex offence after undercover Police sting