Ex-councillor jailed for online child sex offences

A former Dudley councillor who was caught in an undercover police sting has been jailed for 32 months for sex offences against children.

Adrian Hughes' offending was identified in an online operation by police officers posing as youngsters.

Hughes, 36, believed he had been sending explicit messages to two girls aged 12 and 13 in May and June 2025, but he had been messaging decoy profiles created by undercover police.

Hughes, of Preston, had previously admitted four offences including attempting to initiate non-penetrative sexual activity with a girl under 13.

Hughes, who asked for pictures and sent explicit images of himself, had also admitted a similar charge relating to a girl aged 13 to 15.

He also pleaded guilty to charges of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child under 13 and with a child aged 13 to 15.

"You thought you were messaging 12 and 13-year-olds, you could have done a great deal of harm," Miss Recorder A Siddiqi told Friday's sentencing hearing.

"Unacceptable does not capture how appalling your behaviour was; immediate custody was inevitable."

Hughes was a member of Dudley Council between 2022 and 2024 for the Upper Gornal and Woodsetton ward.

He had sat on the Children and Young Person's Scrutiny Committee from May 2022 to May 2023 and the Children's Corporate Parenting Board during the same year.

He was suspended by Labour in October 2023 following a complaint about his behaviour but said he would continue as an independent member of the authority.

But in May 2024, he was thrown out of the council for not attending any meetings for six months.

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