Description
A man snared by online paedophile hunters posing as 13 and 14-year-old girls has been jailed.
Jamie Overson, 37, groomed what he believed were young girls but were in fact members of a group known as Phoenix Guardians of the Innocent.
Norwich Crown Court heard he communicated with three profiles on Whatsapp, encouraging them to carry out sex acts on themselves and send him pictures.
During online chats during April and May 2021 he shared naked and indecent images of himself with a profile purporting to be a 13-year-old called Charlotte telling her “do not let anyone else see it”.
And another occasion he asked a 13-year-old called Darcey whether she would like to meet up with him in Blackpool.
The former binman, who now works as a forklift driver, also indulged in obscene chats with what he believed was a 14-year-old called Jade.
He was eventually confronted by members of the paedophile hunter group at his home at Northumberland Street in Norwich.
The encounter was streamed live on Facebook and posted on the group’s website. He was arrested by police on June 12 after information was passed to police.
He pleaded guilty to engaging in sexual communication with a child, attempting to incite a child to engage in penetrative sexual activity and attempting to cause a child to watch a sexual act.
He also admitted making indecent photographs of a child.
Prosecutors told the court investigations had unearthed evidence of further online chats with profiles of young girls called Abby and Kim, which may have been real teenage girls.
He also attempted to lure one of these to meet him in person in Blackpool.
Jailing him for three years and three months, Judge Alice Robinson imposed a 10 year sexual harm prevent order.
She told Overson he posed a danger to children because of the “rapid escalation in your online conversations including attempts to meet up”.
Matthew McNiff, mitigating, said Overson was a “simple and rather inadequate man” who had an inability to communicate.
“He doesn’t have any friends and leads a rather insular life, living with his mother,” he added.