BRADFORD MAN STEVEN ALLOTT CAUGHT IN WEBCAM SEX GROOMING PLOT IN LONDON
In a case that has shocked the community of Bradford, Steven Allott, a 52-year-old former soldier, was sentenced to four years in prison after being found guilty of a series of serious sexual offences involving online grooming and indecent images of children.The incident unfolded after Allott engaged in a disturbing online conversation with an undercover police officer posing as a 13-year-old girl on a social networking platform.
According to court reports, Allott initiated contact with the officer, whose online alias was Jessie, and quickly revealed personal details about himself, claiming to be a 50-year-old man from Bradford.
The conversation took a sinister turn when Allott asked Jessie about her underwear and expressed a desire for her to wear a thong when they eventually met.
The police had set a trap, and within days of their initial contact, Allott was urging the fictitious girl to touch herself and to send nude photographs, demonstrating a clear intent to exploit a minor.
The court heard that Allott later arranged to meet Jessie in a London park, showing no hesitation in traveling from Bradford to the capital with the apparent goal of meeting a girl he believed to be 13 years old.
His plans were thwarted when police intercepted him upon his arrival in London.
During a search of his computer, authorities uncovered a disturbing collection of images, including photographs of two 15-year-old girls in various states of undress, along with a staggering 1,498 indecent images of children as young as 18 months old.
Allott faced multiple charges, including making, possessing, and distributing indecent images, attempting to cause a child to watch sexual activity, attempting to engage a child in sexual acts, and attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming.
He admitted to 19 offences in total.
The court was told that Allott had sent images of naked children, some as young as eight, and had performed a sex act on himself over a webcam during the online chat.
Judge Anthony Pitts described the offences as extremely serious, emphasizing the wide range of activities involving exploitation and abuse.
He pointed out that Allott believed he was communicating with a 13-year-old girl named Jessie, and it was this contact that led to the charges being brought against him.
As part of his sentence, Allott was placed on the sex offenders’ register for life and was subjected to a sexual offences prevention order, which restricts him from seeing his two grandchildren without supervision.
Prosecutor Usha Shergill detailed the timeline of the grooming process, noting that Allott initially contacted Jessie via MSN and was told she was 13 and at school.
Despite this, he continued to engage with her, complimenting her and later revealing that he was home alone and naked.
The court was told that he then sent images of children in various states of undress and performed a sexual act on himself over the webcam.
His attempt to meet Jessie in London was evidence of his intent to carry out further illegal acts.
Allott showed no visible emotion as he was led away to begin his prison sentence, marking a grim chapter in his life and a stark warning about online child exploitation.
