A paedophile offered a decoy he believed to be a 12-year-old girl £100,000 to perform a sexual act. Paul Jones, 27, from Monmouth, engaged in sexualized conversation despite being informed of the decoy’s age and that she was in school. The defendant, during a chatroom conversation with someone he thought was a 12-year-old girl named Neve, transitioned communication to Snapchat, where he claimed to be a 16-year-old and asked if she liked vampires.
At a sentencing hearing at Newport Crown Court, it was revealed that Jones asked the decoy provocative questions like “Are you a sexual person? Do you want to do something sexual for a lot of money?” Subsequently, he offered the decoy £10,000 and later increased the amount to £100,000 for a sexual act, suggesting they could meet secretly. Even after being informed that the girl was 12 and incapable of traveling to Wales, he expressed an intention to visit her.
Jones was apprehended by the police at his workplace on February 15 and confessed after his mobile phone was seized, revealing correspondence with the decoy. Despite initially denying responsibility for the messages, he pleaded guilty to attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity and to engage in sexual communication with a child. In mitigation, the court acknowledged Jones’ previous good character.
The sentencing resulted in Jones receiving a 36-month community order, a 20-day rehabilitation activity requirement, and 200 hours of unpaid work. Additionally, he was subjected to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and required to comply with sex offender notification mandates for five years. The judge emphasized the seriousness of his actions, stating, “For all you knew, you were talking to a real girl.” However, the judge believed that the public would be better protected through rehabilitation and community service.
This case serves as a stark reminder of the dangers lurking online and the importance of safeguarding children from malicious individuals seeking to exploit them. Such incidents highlight the necessity for continual vigilance and proactive measures to protect vulnerable individuals in the digital age.