Sex Offender Jailed After Initial Sentence Deemed Too Lenient

Ionut Voicu, 36, has been sentenced to three years and four months in prison after judges deemed his initial sentence too lenient. Voicu admitted to engaging in sexual communications with what he believed to be a 13-year-old girl, with the intention of having sex with her.

He was actually communicating with an undercover police officer and was arrested when he attempted to meet the girl for sex. Voicu, from Massington Park, Taunton, Somerset, was initially given a three-year community order, requiring him to attend an offender treatment programme and complete 40 hours of unpaid work.

However, the Solicitor General, Lucy Frazer, intervened and referred the sentence to the Court of Appeal, citing its inappropriateness. Frazer stated, "I was appalled by Voicu's intentions and it was only thanks to the vigilance of our police that his criminality did not extend further. I welcome the decision of the Court of Appeal to increase his sentence to properly reflect the severity of his actions."

In addition to the prison sentence, Voicu will remain subject to a five-year sexual harm prevention order, which was originally imposed as part of his initial sentence. Voicu pleaded guilty to eight offenses on May 14th at Taunton Crown Court, including five counts of causing a child to watch or look at an image of sexual activity, two counts of having sexual communication with a child, and one count of attempting to arrange or facilitate a child sex offense.