Sex offender tried to encourage a 14-year-old 'girl' to perform a sex act.

Pervert Jailed for Attempted Sexual Communication with Decoy 'Girl'

Martin Rhodes, 52, has been sentenced to four-and-a-half years in prison after attempting to encourage a 14-year-old 'girl' to perform a sex act. The 'girl' was actually a decoy set up by a paedophile hunter group.

Rhodes, who was previously jailed in 2017 for similar offenses, initiated contact with the decoy on Facebook and quickly engaged in sexually explicit conversations. He asked for pictures and sent intimate images himself, including those of his private area and an adult woman.

Police were alerted by the paedophile hunter group and found that Rhodes had deleted the conversation from his phone, a breach of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) imposed in 2017. He was subsequently arrested and found guilty of attempted sexual communication with a child, attempted incitement of a child to engage in sexual activity, and breaching the SHPO.

During the sentencing at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court, Judge Graeme Smith emphasized Rhodes' history of similar offenses and his deliberate targeting of young girls online. He stated that despite the absence of a real child, Rhodes' actions were "very serious" and "deserving of a significant sentence."

Rhodes will remain subject to the SHPO and be on the sex offenders' register indefinitely.