June 2019 Convicted paedophile caught by paedo hunting team jailed A now THREE time convicted paedophile who was caught by the UK database has been jailed after he was handed an extended sentence Scott Coombes, 28 was also found to have been exchanging sexual messages with a real girl when police seized his computers and mobile phones. The pervert was banned from any contact with children because he was already a registered sex offender who had in the past posed as a 14-year-old girl while exchanging indecent images of children He was trapped in a sting operation mounted by the Devon-based group UK Database in which their volunteers posed as under aged girls in online chat rooms. Coombes, formerly of Clifton Place and Savage Road, Plymouth, was living in Torbay when he made contact with the decoys between July 28 and August 1 last year. He pleaded guilty to a total of six charges when he appeared before Judge Peter Johnson at Exeter Crown Court by video link from the city’s prison. Coombes admitted: – One count of actual sexual communication with a real child – Three of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child – One of attempting to cause a child to watch a sexual act, – One of breaching a Sexual Offending Prevention Order. The court was told that Coombes had contacted the online profile of who he believed belonged to a 13 year old girl. Coombes sent highly sexually explicit chat including a number of penis pictures. Throughout the chat, Coombes made it clear he wanted to engage the child into sexual activity, which culminated in Coombes arranging to meet the girl at Paignton train station. However, unbeknown to Coombes, paedophile hunting team ‘UK database’ were waiting for him to appear. After a chase which lasted several minutes, the team apprehended Coombes and questioned him on his past offending and current online activity. The police were called and Coombes was arrested Police seized his computers and mobile phones and during that search they discovered Coombes had been grooming a real schoolgirl for sex. The childs parents were informed and the girl was safeguarded from further harm TODAY, the judge stated that defendant had met the criteria set – under section 226A of the Criminal Justice Act 2003, and handed Coombes an extended sentence of 5 years comprising of a custodial term of 28 months and an extension period of 2 years and 8 months. A five year Sexual Harm Prevention Order was put in place and Coomes was told that he would spend the rest of his life on the Sex Offenders Register. — The prevention order he breached was previously made at Plymouth Crown Court on October 8, 2013 and prohibited any contact with children which was not approved by parents or social services, who were aware of his previous offending. On that occasion, Coombes received a 15 month suspended sentence at the 2013 hearing, where he was also ordered to attend a sex offenders’ treatment course. May 2019 A sex offender from Plymouth is facing jail after he was trapped three times by a group of online paedophile hunters. Scott Coombes was also found to have been exchanging sexual messages with a real girl when police seized his computers and mobile phones. The 28-year-old is banned from any contact with children because he is a registered sex offender who has posed as a teenage girl while exchanging indecent images in the past. He was trapped by a sting operation mounted by the Devon-based group UK Database in which their volunteers posed as under aged girls in online chat rooms. They created decoy profiles in the names of Kate, Emma, and Sarah-Jane and recorded the chat logs as Coombes exchanged sexualised messages or sent them images. Coombes, formerly of Clifton Place and Savage Road, Plymouth, was living in Torbay when he made contact with the decoys between July 28 and August 1 last year. He pleaded guilty to a total of six charges when he appeared before Judge Peter Johnson at Exeter Crown Court by video link from the city’s prison. Coombes admitted one count of actual communication and three of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, one of attempting to cause a child to watch a sexual act, and one of breaching a Sexual Offending Prevention Order. The order was made at Plymouth Crown Court on October 8, 2013 and prohibited any contact with children which was not approved by parents or social services, who were aware of his previous offending. Coombes received a 15 month suspended sentence at the 2013 hearing, where he was also ordered to attend a sex offenders’ treatment course. Judge Johnson adjourned his sentence at Exeter Crown Court and asked the probation service to prepare a report on whether Coombes should receive an extended sentence as a dangerous offender. November 2014 Pervert faces jail after breaching a suspended prison sentence by contacting a 13 yr old child Convicted sex offender Scott Coombes, aged 24, broke a court order when he communicated with the 13-year-old. Coombes was given the suspended sentence for posing as a teenager online to trade indecent images. He has now admitted breaching the Sexual Offences Prevention Order which was imposed at the time of his conviction a year ago. Coombes, of Clifton Place in Greenbank, was banned from communicating with anyone under 16 But he admitted beaching the court order when he contacted the 13-year-old between on June 25 or June 26. He also pleaded guilty to possession of three indecent images of children. Judge Paul Darlow adjourned sentence until December 12 for a probation officer to prepare a report. He was released on unconditional bail. Coombes was given a 15-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, in November last year. He was also ordered to undergo a treatment programme for sex offenders. Coombes was caught using an internet account under the name of Sophie to chat sexually with teenage girls. He admitted 11 counts of possessing indecent images of children and four of distributing child abuse images. The sentencing judge will need to impose the jail sentence unless he or she rules it would be unjust to do so. Ali Rafati, for Coombes, said the report would allow the court to see how he had complied with the probation service on the suspended sentence order. November 2013 Plymouth man pretended to be teenage girl to have online sex chats A MAN who posed as a 14-year-old girl online to trade indecent images of children has avoided going straight to jail. Scott Coombes, aged 23, walked free from the dock to face abuse from several women from the back of the courtroom. He was caught using an internet account under the name of Sophie to chat sexually with teenage girls, Plymouth Crown Court heard. Coombes had more than 300 indecent images and distributed 14 pictures over the internet. But Judge Graham Cottle said if Coombes was sent to jail he would not receive sufficient help and would be released into the community as an untreated sex offender. Coombes was given a suspended prison sentence and ordered to do a course to tackle internet sex offending. Coombes, of Savage Road, Barne Barton, admitted 11 counts of possessing indecent images of children and four of distributing child pornography. Alistair Verheijen, for the Crown Prosecution Service, said police found that indecent images were being uploaded into an account under the name of Sophie. He added police traced the account to an address on May 15 and arrested Coombes. Mr Verheijen said officers found he had been trading indecent images by posing as a 14-year-old girl online. He had been having “highly sexualised chats” with girls over Skype, the court heard. Mr Verheijen said police seized his laptop and smart phone and found 309 indecent images of children. They were graded at levels one to four on the five-point scale, the court heard, but most were in the lower categories. Malcolm Clark, mitigating for Coombes, said: “He expresses remorse and does find it difficult to explain why he did it.” He added it was in the interests of the public that he was treated. Judge Cottle handed him a 15-month prison sentence but suspended it for two years. He must do the Thames Valley Sex Offenders Programme and must also sign the Sex Offender Register for the next decade.