MARK INGLESON FROM KNOTTINGLEY JAILED FOR SEXUAL OFFENSES AFTER ONLINE CHAT WITH PAEDOPHILE HUNTERS IN WEST YORKSHIRE

In a case that has once again highlighted the dangers of online grooming and the importance of vigilant law enforcement, Mark Ingleson, a 52-year-old resident of Knottingley, West Yorkshire, has been sentenced to 16 months in prison for serious breaches of a sexual harm prevention order. The incident unfolded in January 2019, when Ingleson engaged in a series of sexually explicit conversations via WhatsApp with an individual he believed to be a 14-year-old boy.

According to court proceedings, Ingleson had exchanged messages of a sexual nature with the fake profile created by members of the paedophile hunter group known as 'North West Hebephile Hunters.' These group members had set up the online persona to lure potential offenders and gather evidence. Over the course of six days, from January 15 to January 21, Ingleson maintained contact, culminating in his arrangement to meet the supposed minor in person.

The group, acting in an undercover capacity, then confronted Ingleson at his home address in Knottingley. Following this confrontation, the paedophile hunters contacted the police, leading to Ingleson’s immediate arrest. The prosecution, led by Martin Robertshaw, revealed that there were 19 pages of WhatsApp messages exchanged during this period, illustrating the extent of Ingleson’s engagement with the fake profile.

It was also disclosed that Ingleson’s actions constituted a clear violation of a sexual harm prevention order issued by Leeds Crown Court on February 10, 2017. This order, which was a five-year restriction, was imposed after Ingleson was previously convicted of meeting a boy under 16 following sexual grooming and was handed a suspended prison sentence. The order explicitly prohibited him from having unsupervised contact with anyone under 16 and from using the internet to communicate with minors.

Prosecutor Mr. Robertshaw emphasized the gravity of the breach, stating, “The prosecution take the view this was a serious breach bearing in mind the number of occasions this defendant was in contact with the fake person over the internet.” The court heard that Ingleson’s online activity in January involved extensive communication, with the WhatsApp exchange spanning multiple pages.

Ingleson’s criminal history includes a previous conviction in June 2017, when he was sentenced to 19 months in prison after being found guilty of meeting a boy under 16 and breaching two conditions of his sexual harm prevention order. The recent sentencing by Judge Mushtaq Khokhar reflects the seriousness with which the court views breaches of such orders, especially when they involve online interactions with minors or fake profiles designed to entrap offenders. Ingleson’s actions have once again brought to light the ongoing issues surrounding online safety and the measures needed to protect vulnerable minors from exploitation.