LEICESTER MAN MEL JENKINS SENTENCED FOR GROOMING AND MEETING A 12-YEAR-OLD GIRL IN PONTYCLUN HOTEL
In July 2018, Mel Jenkins, a 47-year-old resident of Leicester, was involved in a disturbing case of online grooming and attempted child exploitation that culminated in a planned meeting at a hotel in Pontyclun.Jenkins traveled from Leicester to Pontyclun with the intent of meeting a girl he believed to be only 12 years old, after engaging in a series of manipulative conversations online.
Jenkins brought with him alcohol and baby oil, indicating his intentions to engage in sexual activity.
The case was brought to light through the efforts of the Welsh Children Protectors, a paedophile hunting group, which created a fake profile on Chat Hour pretending to be a 12-year-old girl.
This decoy profile was used to lure potential offenders, and in this instance, it successfully attracted Jenkins.
During the court proceedings at Cardiff Crown Court, Judge Eleri Rees emphasized that there could be no misunderstanding about the girl’s age, as the decoy had made her age explicitly clear through approximately 200 references, mentioning her mother, school, and bedtime routines.
The court was informed that Jenkins was fully aware he was speaking to a minor, as confirmed by the prosecutor, Gareth James.
The court detailed how Jenkins turned the conversation increasingly sexual, asking the decoy if she knew about sex.
The girl responded that she had never had a boyfriend.
Jenkins then suggested he wanted to 'educate' her about sex and repeatedly assured her she could trust him.
Prosecutors revealed that Jenkins sent a photograph of his genitals and proposed engaging in sexual activity.
On May 18, Jenkins arranged to meet the girl at the Haveli Hotel located on Coedcae Lane.
He instructed her to claim he was her father if they were challenged by anyone.
The plan was to carry out the meeting despite the clear evidence of his intent to exploit a minor.
Checks on the Police National Computer revealed that Jenkins was subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, which was designed to prevent such offending behavior.
Jenkins provided a prepared statement in court, claiming that he believed the girl was over 16 and that he came to meet her with that mistaken belief.
However, the court noted that the messages clearly indicated he was talking to a child, and he admitted that the girl was 'a bit young yet' to engage in full sexual intercourse.
Jenkins has a long history of offending, with 17 previous convictions, including a December 2015 jail sentence at Lincoln Crown Court for seven counts of possessing and distributing indecent images of children.
Prosecutors argued that his recent actions represented an escalation in his offending pattern, moving from images to actual contact.
Jenkins, who previously worked as a carer and electrician, admitted attempting to meet a child after sexual grooming, possessing indecent images of children, and breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
His defense lawyer, Stephen Thomas, argued that Jenkins’s actions did not involve a real child and highlighted his struggles with finding employment and accommodation after his release from prison.
Jenkins also reportedly suffered from anxiety and depression but had stopped taking medication due to adverse effects.
Judge Rees pointed out that Jenkins was on license when he committed these offenses, and the previous Sexual Harm Prevention Order was specifically intended to prevent this type of behavior.
Jenkins was sentenced to two years and four months in prison, and an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order was imposed to prevent future offenses.
