Locations
Willow Road, Yeovil, Somerset, BA21
Description
A paedophile who preyed on a "10-year-old girl" suggesting she slept with him, dress up in leotards and move in with him at his home in Yeovil has escaped jail when he appeared in court to be sentenced.
John Jannikos had no idea at the time that he was engaged in conversation with a decoy profile of a young girl in a trap set up by a paedophile hunter group.
He regularly talked to her over the course of several months, asked if she knew what a condom was and asked her for sex, reassuring her it was ok after she suggested her mum would not allow it.
He also said he had bought her some leotards and sent her photos of a pink and blue one saying he couldn't wait to see her wearing them.
When he was confronted outside his home with evidence of his activities by members of the group the police were called and searched his home.
In his bedroom they discovered the same two leotards in the pictures sent to the 'victim' covered in semen stains along with a sex toy resembling a young girl.
The 31-year-old defendant, of Willow Road, denied a charge that between August 28, and September 25 last year in Somerset he attempted to communicate with a person under the age of 16 who he did not believe was 16 or over, and the communication was sexual, namely talking about sex and asking her if she knew what a condom was, and for the purpose of obtaining sexual gratification.
However he was convicted of the offence following a trial held before Somerset Magistrates at Yeovil.
They sentenced Jannikos to a three year community order with a direction to comply with a sex offenders programme.
He must also carry out a 20 day Rehabilitation Activity Requirement and complete 150 hours unpaid work.
Costs of £775 and an £85 victim surcharge were also imposed and he was ordered to remain on the Sex Offenders Register for the next four years.
Prosecutor Suzie Butler said that it was a case of internet grooming by the defendant who thought he was speaking to a 10-year-old girl but it was really a decoy profile.
The profile had been set in the name of a "girl" called Amy Beech and a male with Facebook profile of John Jannikos soon contacted her and a number of conversations took place between them between August and September last year.
"During these conversations the defendant offered to buy her a leotard and bikini and asked if she wanted to move in with him," she said.
"He also asked her if she knew what a condom was and said he knew there was an age gap but he would like them to be together.
"He said he loved her and cared about her and then sent the question 'Sex?' followed by a thumbs up sign.
"Jannikos also told the 'girl' he ordered her a leotard and four sets of swimwear and wanted her to try them on and send him pictures.
"He also said he loved her, sent her pictures of a pink and a blue leotard when the order was delivered and said he couldn't wait to see her in them."
When the defendant was confronted by members of the paedophile hunter group he said he was ashamed.
The police were called and he was arrested, and when they searched his address a mobile phone, tablet and laptop were found.
They also discovered two leotards, similar to those in the photos, and when stains were found on them the officers asked Jannikos what it was and he said it was semen.
He said he had been "so stupid" but when he was voluntarily interviewed he made no comment to all questions asked of him.
A data extraction report showed evidence that the defendant had purchased the two leotards from an online retailer although no indecent images of children were found on the devices.
Defending solicitor Ray Peters said that his client "still maintained his innocence" despite being found guilty following a trial.
He said that Jannikos lived with his uncle for whom he was a full-time carer.
"He admitted carrying out certain acts to the Probation Service and has confided that he would benefit from some help from them, although denies any inappropriate sexual urges towards young children," he said.
"He would be required to comply with an accredited sexual offending programme which would be a severe restriction on his liberty and a great commitment for quite a lengthy period of time."