Locations
Gippeswyk Road, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP2
Description
A 34-year-old Ipswich man who was arrested after he had online chats about sex with members of a paedophile hunter group posing as schoolgirls has been jailed for three years.
Skye Tanswell sent naked pictures of himself to members of the Chid Online Safety Team posing as two 14-year-old girls and asked them to send him pictures of their breasts, Ipswich Crown Court heard.
Nicola May, prosecuting, said that during conversations with the decoys on WhatsApp Tanswell had suggested meeting up in Suffolk and had discussed what he would do in bed with one of them.
He had also told one of them to lie or cut off contact if her parents came into the room because he would get into trouble for being in contact with someone her age.
Tanswell, of Gippeswyk Road, Ipswich, admitted three offences of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child and one offence of attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity. The offences took place last year.
In addition to being jailed, Tanswell was made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order for life and ordered to sign the sex offenders register for the same period.
Sentencing him, Judge Emma Peters said that despite being arrested for being in contact with the decoys Tanswell had resumed contact with one of them after he was released under investigation.
Joanne Eley, for Tanswell, said he had mental health issues and had learning and behavioural problems.
She said he had been in prison since March last year and was working on becoming an enhanced prisoner.
He had also been engaging with the mental health team while he had been in prison.
Miss Eley said Tanswell had committed the offences while he was bored and using cannabis.