Birmingham child sex predator Christopher Brand jailed after falling for police trap

A Birmingham child sex predator has been jailed for 15 years after being lured into an online trap by police.

Sick Christopher Brand thought he was making plans to meet children with a woman he was talking to online. But unbeknown to Brand, the woman he was chatting to was actually an officer from Tarian, the southern Wales Regional Organised Crime Unit. 

The 62 year-old, who had previous convictions for arranging to meet a child for sexual activity and for possessing indecent images of children, discussed attending a location outside of Birmingham over a weekend period, with the intention of raping both children. 

Police in Wales had been monitoring his online activities and after he engaged in communication with their officer, they got in touch with West Midlands Police. WMP then opened an investigation and arrested Brand on 22 June last year, recovering a phone that he had used to contact the officer. 

Brand was charged and remanded in custody until his trial, which took place between December 13 and 19, 2023 at Birmingham Crown Court.  The sex offender was sentenced at the city’s Crown Court on Tuesday, January 23 for the offences, following trial at the same court in December. 

Brand was found guilty of two counts of attempting/ facilitating the commission of a child sex offence, and for obscene publication. He was sentenced to 15 years with a further six on extended licence.

Detective Constable Simon Roberts from our Major Crime Team said: “We’re grateful to our colleagues in the southern Wales Regional Organised Crime Unit for alerting us to Brand’s abhorrent activities. 

“This was an excellent joint operation against a highly dangerous sexual predator. Although he was never in a position to carry out these appalling crimes, it was obvious from correspondence that he fully intended to and he has been deservedly locked up for a very long time.” 

If you have been abused, or think you know someone who is being abused, go to: West Midlands Police child sex abuse to find out more about your options.