Manoj Kumar 26

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A Southampton man has been jailed after being found guilty of communicating with an undercover police officer, who he believed to be a 12-year-old girl.

Manoj Kumar, 26, of Avenue Road, appeared before Southampton Crown Court on Friday (2 February) having previously been found guilty of child sex offences.

The court heard how Kumar was arrested following an investigation by undercover officers posing as a 12-year-old girl. Kumar engaged in explicit, sexual conversation with officers via KIK Messenger, Whatsapp and Telegram on a number of occasions in 2021.

In messages sent to officers Kumar, who was 24 at the time of the offences, told the fictional girl that she was ‘cute’, ‘sweet’ and ‘gorgeous’ before speaking to her in a graphic manner and attempting to incite her into sexual activity. He sent messages claiming to be her boyfriend and asked her to keep their conversations to herself, as well as asking her to delete all of their messages.

On 17 February 2021 Kumar went to the Sainsbury’s car park in Victor Street, Southampton, thinking that he was meeting the young girl. Instead, police arrested him and took him into custody.

Following an investigation which involved the analysis of three mobile phones, a tablet and a laptop, Kumar was charged with attempting to cause or incite a female under the age of 13 to engage in sexual activity involving penetration and arranging or facilitating commission of a child sex offence.

He pleaded not guilty to the offences, however a jury found him guilty following a trial in December 2023.

He has now been sentenced to seven and a half years in prison and will be subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for ten years.