Paedophile Jailed for Asking Undercover Officer if Her Children Were "Available" for Abuse

Benjamin Knight, of Wisp Hill Croft in Grassington, North Yorkshire, has been jailed for six-and-a-half years after admitting a series of offences related to child sexual abuse.

Knight, who was previously jailed for 18 months in 2018 for making indecent images of children, was arrested at his home in August after police found two phones hidden under his bed.

The devices contained more than 3,000 indecent images and more than 300 extreme pornographic images. Knight pleaded guilty to possession and distribution charges related to these images and will now be required to register as a sex offender with the police for the rest of his life.

During an online sting operation, Knight contacted an undercover police officer posing as a mother with three children. He asked the officer if her children were "available" for sexual abuse and expressed a desire to "train" his own family.

Judge Neil Davey QC, presiding over the case at Bradford Crown Court, stated that Knight's sexual interest in children had escalated since his previous sentence and that he had spoken in detail about his intentions to abuse the children.

The judge also highlighted that Knight's secret hiding of the phones under his bed was a flagrant breach of a previously imposed Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

Knight also pleaded guilty to three charges of arranging or facilitating the commission of a child sexual offence.