Prison officer and ex-soldier sent vile sex messages to 14-year-old girl.

Prison Officer Sentenced for Sending Vile Sex Messages to Decoy

A prison officer, former soldier, and rugby coach, Andrew Marriott, has been sentenced to two years and eight months in prison for sending vile sex messages to a 14-year-old girl.

Nottingham Crown Court heard that Marriott, 44, contacted a decoy pretending to be an underage teen and sent her messages asking for photographs of her in her school uniform, telling her she "looked hot," and suggesting they meet at a hotel for sex.

Marriott, of Wessington, near Alfreton, admitted to attempting sexual communication with a child and attempting to cause or incite a child to engage in sexual activity. He had no previous convictions.

During the trial, the prosecution revealed that Marriott's messages became increasingly sexualized, including asking the decoy to touch herself and inquiring about her bra size. He also told her "with you not yet being 16 what we are talking about is illegal" and explicitly described what he wanted to do to her.

Judge Julie Warburton stated that Marriott's position as a prison officer had made his life in custody more difficult due to the fear of payback or retribution from other inmates. She sentenced him to two years and eight months in prison, ordered him to sign the sex offender register for life, and handed him a lifetime sexual harm prevention order.