ADAM PIGGOTT JAILED IN SOUTHAMPTON FOR SEX OFFENCES INVOLVING A CHILD
A man from Southampton, Adam Piggott, has been sentenced to 13 months in prison after being convicted of attempting to engage in sexual activity with a minor and attempting to meet a child for sexual purposes.Piggott, 31, appeared at Southampton Crown Court on Friday to face the charges.
The court heard that between October 28 and November 7, 2019, Piggott used social media to contact a girl he believed to be 13 years old, named Molly.
He initiated contact from a profile using his middle name, Martin.
The prosecutor, Dawn Hyland, explained that Piggott asked Molly what she was into and what she looked like, after which Molly sent a photo, which he described as "cute," and he responded with a picture of himself.
As their communication continued, the messages became increasingly explicit and sexual.
Unbeknownst to him, Molly was not a real girl but a fake profile created by an online police unit dedicated to catching paedophiles.
Hyland stated, "Piggott asked if ‘Molly’ had been with an older man and offered to meet her.
They arranged to meet at a McDonald's on Shirley High Street on November 7, with Piggott asking her not to tell anyone." On the day of the planned meeting, Piggott arrived at the McDonald's but was unable to locate Molly in the parking lot.
After searching the area, he parked in a nearby cul-de-sac, where officers apprehended him.
During police interviews, he admitted he knew Molly was 13 and that he wanted to meet her for sex.
He also admitted that it had dawned on him she was not real but could not explain why he had sent messages.
The exchanges between Piggott and the fake profile totaled 81 pages in transcript.
His defense lawyer, Jamie Gammon, highlighted that Piggott is a man of good character with no prior convictions and had sought treatments such as hypnotherapy to address his behavior.
Gammon added that Piggott clearly suffers from mental health issues and had pleaded guilty.
Ultimately, Judge Henry sentenced Adam Piggott to 13 months imprisonment and imposed a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order, reflecting the seriousness of his crimes.
