'Monster' Paedo used video games to target victims

“CALCULATING” paedophile who groomed children he met through video games has been jailed.

- Molly SEAMAN

Kieran Francis, of Fishponds Road, has been sent to prison for five years after admitting to messaging and grooming children.

The 22-year-old used video games to befriend children and make contact with them using private messages.

He pleaded guilty to two counts of causing a child to watch / look at an image of sexual activity, four counts of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity, and one count of attempting to meet a child following grooming.

Francis also admitted to three counts of possessing indecent images (one count for each category A, B and C), and one count of distributing indecent images of children.

He was sentenced at Bristol Crown Court to five years in prison and will be added to the Sex Offenders’ Register for life. He was also given an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

The court heard that Francis first came to police attention in February 2025, Officers arrested him in April and seized his devices and questioned him.