BURNLEY MAN JAILED FOR ONLINE SEXUAL GROOMING OF DECOY
A Burnley father of three named Lee Parry has been sentenced to two and a half years in prison after engaging in sexual discussions with a decoy pretending to be a 12-year-old girl.The offences took place over a fortnight between March and April 2023, with the decoy profile indicating her age as 12 from the beginning.
Parry initiated contact via Kik messenger, then moved the conversation to Snapchat, attempting to steer it towards sexual topics.
He sent images of his legs and groin and asked her to reciprocate, also mentioning that he had shaved his pubic hair and commenting on her underwear and swimwear.
The decoy sent an image of herself in leggings with her underwear partially exposed, to which Parry responded by sending an image of his jeans open and boxer shorts visible.
Prosecutor Philippa White stated, “The backdrop it is accepted he was communicating with a 12-year-old girl, and that the image was of a 12-year-old girl.
The conversation began with the parties exchanging their ages, he said he was 32.” Parry also sent explicit images of himself and detailed crude fantasies.
The police found vile indecent images on his devices during his arrest at his home.
Judge Richard Gioserano highlighted that although the decoy was not a real child, the intended harm was considered equally dangerous, and Parry’s culpability was based on his intentions.
He acknowledged his wrongdoing, expressed remorse, and was diagnosed with poor mental health stemming from personal issues at the time of the offences.
His sentence includes being registered as a sex offender for ten years and a prison term of 29 months, with a requirement to serve at least half before release on licence.
The Judge also noted that Parry had no previous convictions, was of good character, and his offending was influenced by personal turmoil and mental health struggles.
The case underscores the importance of addressing online sexual grooming, even when the victim is an internet decoy, due to the potential for significant harm.
