Paedophile planned to rape girl at Hampshire services jailed.

Man Sentenced for Planning to Rape Eight-Year-Old Girl

Lance Baynes, 48, was sentenced to eight years in prison for planning to rape an eight-year-old girl. Baynes traveled across the country with restraints, sex toys, and lubricant, intending to meet another man at a Hampshire service station to carry out the assault. He was apprehended by police during a sting operation on August 21, 2023.

Upon searching Baynes' electronic devices, officers discovered 1,430 indecent or extreme images. Investigations revealed Baynes had been the administrator of an online account used to share child abuse images with other pedophiles.

Baynes, formerly of Cedar Close in Walsall, also admitted to engaging in sexual communication with a 13-year-old girl. He pleaded guilty to ten charges, including arranging/facilitating the rape of a child under 13, making indecent images of children, possessing extreme indecent images, distributing indecent images of children, and encouraging an offender to commit an indictable offense.

DC Steve Hill of Hampshire Constabulary's ICAT stated: "Prior to his arrest, Lance Baynes had been planning to commit an atrocious offense against what he believed was an 8-year-old girl. He is a dangerous offender, and I hope his sentencing reassures the public."

Hill thanked the SEROCU for their assistance in bringing the case to justice and emphasized the seriousness with which authorities treat all reports of sexual offenses. He assured the public that they would continue to protect vulnerable individuals from predators.