December 2012 St Nicholas Market boss jailed for bid to groom boy, 14 AS manager of St Nicholas Market Mark Hill was respected by friends and colleagues. But he had a dark secret – one which led to him being jailed for trying to meet up with a teenage boy for a sexual experience. Bristol City Council employee Hill was operations manager of the city centre market but tried to have a liaison with a teenager he met online as “a box to tick off”, Bristol Crown Court heard. Hill sobbed in the dock as he was jailed for eight months yesterday. He had been caught out when the boy’s mum found worrying texts on her lad’s mobile phone. She helped police to arrest Hill by telling them the make of his car as he turned up to meet the teenager. Police then found indecent photos of children on Hill’s computer. Hill, 44, of Hayward Road in Barton Hill, pleaded guilty to meeting a child following sexual grooming and possessing indecent images. Judge Michael Roach told him: “There’s no doubt a side of you which is commendable and people have spoken very well of you in references. “But you know and I know that this is a serious offence and only a custodial sentence can be justified.” Hill was handed a Sexual Offences Prevention Order, designed to keep him away from youngsters, for five years. He was told to register as a sex offender for ten years. James Cranfield, prosecuting, said the 14-year-old went on an adult dating website, somewhat confused about his sexuality. Originally the youngster pretended he was a consenting adult, Mr Cranfield said, but then revealed his actual age to be 14. Mr Cranfield said there was contact between Hill and the boy, and the youngster offered to perform a sex act for £30. When the child’s mother found texts on his phone she called police. A calm Hill said to officers: “Oh, OK, I’ve never been arrested before.” Police found 173 texts between him and the boy, including one in which he said it was a “big turn-on” that the boy was young. Hill was found to have some 70 indecent images of children on his computer, the vast majority of which were deemed in the lowest “erotic posing” Category One. Mr Cranfield said: “Mr Hill told police he had seen images which gave him cause to believe the victim was 18. He said he had no intention of having sex with the victim. “He agreed he intended to pay for oral sex, saying life was full of tick boxes to say you had done things.” Rosaleen Collins, defending, said her client was of previous good character and had been frank with family and friends. She said: “He had a secret life which he hid from people who knew him and knew him well. They remain supportive and stand by him. “He understands the seriousness of his problem, the danger to others and the position of the victim. He will benefit from a sexual offender treatment programme and has sought advice from the Lucy Faithful Foundation.” A council spokeswoman said: “Mr Hill is no longer an employee. He left the council at the beginning of November.”