Mark Rayworth 55

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A serial child sex offender from Derby contacted an 11-year-old girl as she was getting ready for school and sent her a vile image of himself. Later the same day, self-employed bathroom fitter Mark Rayworth then sent another disgusting photograph to the victim’s adult sister, who had been made aware of what he had done earlier and pretended to be a girl aged 13.

She contacted a gang of paedophile hunters who turned up at his home in Brailsford the same day and confronted the 55-year-old, formerly of Mickleover. 12 years ago, the same defendant met a 15-year-old girl at a McDonald's in Allenton and offered to pay her £100 for sex only for her to reply “I am not a prostitute”.

Jailing Rayworth for two-and-a-half years, Judge William Harbage KC said: “These are serious offences and you will receive serious punishment. She was 11 and she is autistic both of those make her vulnerable.

“Your pre-sentence report indicates you are still in denial about this and maintain your innocence. There is still no expression of remorse.”

The trial, at Derby Crown Court, heard how the young Derbyshire victim received a Snapchat friend request from the defendant as she was getting ready to go to school on the morning of November 25, 2022. Sarah Allen, prosecuting, said she replied to it and almost immediately the defendant sent her a sexual photograph of himself.

The prosecutor said the girl told her mother who took over her phone and told Rayworth the girl was only aged 11 and the victim’s older, adult, sister then contacted the defendant pretending to be a 13-year-old girl and he sent her a second sexual image of himself.

The prosecutor said the older sister contacted a group of self-styled paedophile hunters who turned up at Rayworth’s address later that night and challenged him about his behaviour. The defendant, of Corner Farm, denied any wrongdoing and took the case to trial meaning the 11-year-old girl had to come to court. Miss Allen said: “Throughout, the defendant has denied he was the ‘Tom Bailey’ who made contact with the victim.

“In her victim impact statement, the girl, now 13, said she feels scared and anxious that the man will turn up at her home and does not even want to open the door. She said she feels scared this will happen again and that it was her birthday the week before the court case and what should have been a happy day for her was ruined at the worry of having to come to court.”

After hearing all of the evidence, a jury found him guilty of causing or inciting a girl to engage in sexual activity, attempting to cause or incite a girl to engage in sexual activity and attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child.

The judge asked Rayworth, who represented himself during the trial and at this week’s sentencing hearing at Leicester Crown Court, if he had anything to say in mitigation. He replied: “No.”

In 2012, the defendant, then 43 and of Wren Way, Mickleover, was convicted at Derby Crown Court, of sexually grooming a 15-year-old girl. On that occasion, he met the teen at McDonalds in Allenton and the following day messaged her offering her £100 for sex. In 2014, then on Inglewood Avenue, also in Mickleover, he was convicted at the same court of breaching a sexual offences protection order - now called a sexual harm prevention order or SHPO - by contacting a girl aged under 16.

As part of this week’s punishment, Judge Harbage handed Rayworth a lifetime SHPO and placed him on the sex offender register for life. Speaking after sentencing, PC Sam Bailey of Derbyshire police's protecting children online team, said: “I would like to thank the girl for her courage in making a trusted adult aware of messages which were making her feel uncomfortable and were not right, and for her courage and families support during our investigation and the court case.

“I welcome the sentence Rayworth is now facing. He was totally responsible for his inappropriate behaviour against children. I hope this shows that we always take reports seriously and will investigate to ensure people are brought to justice and face the consequences their actions.”