Bio-medical scientist engaged in sex chat with children online.

Sheffield Scientist Jailed for Attempting to Sexually Abuse Children Online

A bio-medical scientist from Sheffield has been sentenced to three years in prison for attempting to sexually abuse children online. Paul Bower, who went by the username "Paulguy10," was identified as part of a National Crime Agency (NCA) investigation targeting individuals using the internet to engage in sexual relationships with children.

Bower engaged in explicit conversations with what he believed were two 13-year-old girls online, even sending a photo of his erect penis. However, he was actually communicating with undercover NCA officers.

The 33-year-old, who worked at a local hospital, was arrested in October 2019 after investigators tracked him down. A search of his home uncovered nearly 350 indecent images of children (IIOC) on his devices.

Bower pleaded guilty to charges including making IIOC, attempting to incite a female child under 13 to engage in sexual activity, attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, and attempting to cause a child under 13 to look at an image of sexual activity.

In addition to his prison sentence, Bower was also placed on the Sex Offender register for life and given an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Neil Baxter, Operations manager at the NCA, stated, "Sexual predators like Bower prey on vulnerable young children and abuse them for their own sick gratification. Offenders often hide behind online profiles to mask their identities, but as this case shows, they are not protected."

Baxter emphasized the NCA's commitment to identifying and disrupting individuals with a sexual interest in children, noting that "this time, we know it was our officers Bower was speaking to, but next time could have been a different story." He added that "The amount of distress and trauma this abuse can cause young people is immeasurable. It is only right that Bower is jailed for his crimes where he no longer poses a risk to children."