Ex-Labour Councillor Escapes Jail After Sending Nude Video to Fake 13-Year-Old
Former Labour councillor Liron Velleman, 31, has dodged prison despite sending explicit videos and messages to who he thought was a 13-year-old girl. In reality, he was chatting with an undercover cop posing as a minor.
Undercover Cop Snags Velleman in Shocking Online Sting
Posing as “Tim Graham 95,” the undercover officer exchanged messages with Velleman on chatrooms and Snapchat. Velleman pressured the supposed schoolgirl to send risqué photos in dressing gowns, pyjamas, bras, and crop tops. He responded by sending a photo of himself in just his underwear — plus a video showing his penis.
Fall from Grace: Former Anti-Racism Activist Faces Child Sex Offences
Once a committed figure in the Jewish Labour Movement and anti-racism group Hope Not Hate, Velleman’s political career crashed after his arrest. He promptly resigned as Whetstone councillor in Barnet, north London.
Suspended Sentence & Harsh Punishment
At Southwark Crown Court, Judge James Lofthouse suspended Velleman’s eight-month jail sentence for 15 months, warning him sternly:
“You know you have no one to blame for the disintegration of your personal and professional life but yourself. This is where your reckless, vile and frankly devious interest in children has led you. This could have been a real child.”
Since the scandal, Velleman’s wife has left him. He now has limited supervised contact with his young son. Alongside community service (180 hours) and 20 days of rehab, he’ll remain on the Sex Offenders Register and under a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for 10 years. He also faces £150 in court costs and a £187 victim surcharge.
