BASINGSTOKE MAN RECEIVES SUSPENDED SENTENCE FOR ONLINE CHILD SEXUAL GROOMING
A BASINGSTOKE man has been given a suspended sentence for sending messages of a sexual nature to a decoy Facebook account he believed to be a 13-year-old girl.Mark Lee, of Andover Road, Deane, was sentenced to eight months in prison, suspended, at Winchester Crown Court after pleading guilty to attempting sexual communication with a child.
The court was told that Lee had sent explicit messages and naked photos of himself to a decoy account managed by Fleetwood Enforcement UK, who facilitate contact between adults and minors for evidence collection.
Lee had arranged to meet the person he believed was a 13-year-old girl, but was met by individuals from Fleetwood Enforcement.
Lee had previously pleaded guilty to the offence in Basingstoke Magistrates Court.
During the court proceedings, examples of messages he sent were shared, including requests for the girl’s breast, waist, and bra size, attempts to call her multiple times, and urging her not to tell anyone.
Prosecutor Matt Lawson emphasized that Lee fully admitted his actions to police, knew he was speaking to a 13-year-old, and that there were aggravating factors—sending a sexual image and arranging to meet.
Mitigating, solicitor Katie Williams stated that no harm was caused, and that this was out of character with no prior offenses, suggesting imprisonment would hinder his ability to address his actions.
Judge Susan Evans QC sentenced Lee to a community order including completing the Horizon programme for medium-risk sex offenders, 30 days of rehabilitation, and 120 hours of unpaid work.
