Sacked councillor faces jail over 'graphic' emails to girl, 15

12 April 2012

A former Labour councillor with links to two members of the shadow cabinet is facing jail after admitting sending a 15-year-old "graphic" online messages, begging her for explicit photographs and arranging to meet her for sex.

John Friary, 53, of Camberwell, thought he was messaging a teenager called Hannah but in reality he was the victim of a blackmailer.

Friary promised "Hannah" he would be her "father figure" and that their chat was getting him "turned on". Unknown to him, he was exchanging emails with a man who has been jailed for blackmail.

Friary, who canvassed at elections with Harriet Harman and Tessa Jowell, pleaded guilty to attempting to arrange a meeting with a child following sexual grooming between January 10 and January 14 last year.

He is due to be sentenced at Isleworth crown court on November 11.

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