Sending explicit images of himself to child online safety team posing as two 14 year old girls.

Ipswich Man Jailed for Three Years for Online Sexual Communication with Decoys

A 34-year-old Ipswich man, Skye Tanswell, has been sentenced to three years in prison for engaging in sexually explicit online conversations with members of a paedophile hunter group posing as schoolgirls.

Ipswich Crown Court heard that Tanswell sent nude photos of himself to individuals from the "Chid Online Safety Team" who were pretending to be two 14-year-old girls. He also requested nude images from them and suggested meeting up in Suffolk.

During their WhatsApp conversations, Tanswell discussed sexual acts he would perform with the decoys and advised one of them to lie or cut off contact if her parents entered the room, fearing consequences for communicating with someone her age.

Tanswell, of Gippeswyk Road, pleaded guilty to three counts of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child and one count of attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity. The offenses occurred last year.

In addition to his prison sentence, Tanswell was placed under a lifetime sexual harm prevention order and required to register as a sex offender for the same duration. Judge Emma Peters highlighted that even after his initial arrest, Tanswell resumed contact with one of the decoys while under investigation.

Tanswell's defense attorney, Joanne Eley, argued that he suffered from mental health issues, learning difficulties, and behavioral problems. She stated that he had been incarcerated since March of last year and was actively working towards becoming an enhanced prisoner, engaging with mental health services while in prison.

Eley attributed Tanswell's offenses to boredom and cannabis use.