LEE CRISP CAUGHT IN HERTFORDSHIRE ONLINE SEXUAL PREDATION STING

In November 2020, a man named Lee Crisp from Hertfordshire found himself at the center of a serious online sting operation aimed at uncovering sexual misconduct involving minors. The incident unfolded when Crisp was confronted by an undercover team of paedophile hunters who had been monitoring his online activities for some time.

Lee Crisp appeared before Stevenage Magistrates Court, where he faced multiple charges related to his inappropriate online behavior. He admitted to three counts of engaging in sexual communication with a child, which involved sending explicit messages to a person he believed was a young girl. Additionally, he pleaded guilty to two counts of attempting to incite a child aged between 13 and 15 to engage in sexual activity. Further charges included three counts of causing a child in that age range to view images depicting sexual acts, as well as making indecent images of a child.

The court was informed that Crisp had established an online friendship with what he thought was a female child. Over a period of time, he sent numerous sexual messages, clearly intending to persuade or coerce the minor into engaging in sexual activities. However, the individual Crisp believed he was communicating with was not a real child but an undercover decoy named Caz Solo Elizabeth, who was part of an online community dedicated to hunting predators called Children Online Battling Real Abuse (COBRA).

The decoy collected evidence of Crisp’s inappropriate conduct and passed it on to the COBRA team, who then coordinated a sting operation. The team visited Crisp’s residence in Hertfordshire, where they questioned him about his internet activity. Following this, the police were called to the scene. Officers arrived and promptly arrested Crisp, bringing his online misconduct to an end.

During the court proceedings, the judge sentenced Crisp to a custodial term of 12 months, but this sentence was suspended for two years, meaning he would not serve time in prison unless he committed another offense within that period. Additionally, Crisp was ordered to undertake rehabilitation activities aimed at preventing future offending. He was also issued a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, which will remain in effect for seven years, restricting his online activity and contact with minors. Furthermore, he is required to register as a sex offender for a period of ten years, ensuring ongoing monitoring of his conduct related to sexual offenses involving minors.