April 2015
Pervert who offered £2,500 to take 14-year-old girl’s virginity jailed – Police sting
A MAN made a series of disgusting online sexual advances to what he thought was a 14-year-old girl – only to discover it was an undercover police officer, a court heard.
During the sting, John Fife, 39, indicated that he wanted to take the “girl’s” virginity and offered £2,500 for “her” not to sleep with anybody else.
Fife also sent an indecent photograph of himself during private conversations which he insisted should then be deleted to keep him out of trouble.
It emerged the person he was chatting with on the website was a female police officer.
Fife was charged and pleaded guilty to four counts of attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity during a two-week period late last year. He also admitted a drugs cultivation charge, 18 cannabis plants having been found at his home after he was arrested.
Fife, of Fell Close, Grange-over-Sands, was jailed for three years at Carlisle Crown Court today (THURS) by Cumbria’s top judge, His Honour Paul Batty QC.
Judge Batty told him: “You engaged in the grossest of sexualised discussions with this person, believing her to be a child.”
Gerard Rogerson, prosecuting, said the female police officer, working as part of a covert operation, adopted the profile of “Emi”, on the badoo.com website.
This was said to be a 14-year-old girl from the Carlisle area. A profile was created and the officer deployed online.
She found a private chat message, from Fife – using the profile “John 38″ – had been sent from the Kendal area. A conversation started.
“He claimed she was not totally innocent, and commented ‘I’d take you to bed in a heartbeat and tease you for hours if it wasn’t illegal,” said Mr. Rogerson.
“The defendant continued to sexualise the conversation, asking what she would do if he wanted to take her to bed for cuddles and telling her that she needed an older man to be gentle and pay her attention when she ‘plays’.”
His indecent comments continued in a second conversation. Mr. Rogerson said: “He concluded by saying he wanted to take ‘Emi’s’ virginity but he was nervous due to her age and offered ‘Emi’ £2,500 not to sleep with anybody else to allow him to take her virginity.”
Fife then sent her an indecent photograph during a third conversation, and made more crude, sexualised comments in a fourth exchange.
Video captures were made of these conversations.
Following his arrest, on 2nd December, 2014, a search of his home address revealed 18 cannabis plants growing inside a tent in a bedroom. The tent was equipped with lighting and a hydroponic system.
During an interview, Fife said he thought “Emi” told him “she” was aged 15.
“He accepted the conversation was inappropriate for a 14-year-old girl but claimed he had been in a bad place,” said Mr. Rogerson. “He claimed that ‘half the time I was stoned, I don’t even remember speaking to her’.”
“When asked why he had told ‘Emi’ to delete the history of their conversations, he said this was because he didn’t want to get into trouble for talking to someone that he shouldn’t be talking to.”
Fife claimed the £2,500 offer was a “joke” and said he sent the offensive photograph because he was “lonely and depressed”.
Of his general conduct, he accepted being in the wrong but claimed he would never have acted on it.
A man with nine criminal convictions for 18 previous offences, Fife said he had been growing the cannabis for six weeks and claimed it was for his own personal use. However, that latter claim was not accepted by Judge Batty.
Tim Evans, defending, said Fife had entered his guilty pleas to the offences at an early stage. There was no suggestion Fife had sought to meet “Emi” in person, no travel arrangements having been made.
“He has had extreme difficulties over the last five years,” said Mr. Evans. “There were genuine tears – and not crocodile tears – when he described the break-up of his relationship.
“He is someone who has a more positive side to his character.”
Judge Batty said Fife was guilty of “debauching” someone he believed was a child.
He told Fife: “I am clearly of the view, having reviewed the whole of this evidence, you were grooming someone who you believed was a child, grooming in the grossest sexual way.
“Perhaps not to engage in sexual activity with her while she was under-age. But you wanted to de-flower ‘her’ – that was your wish.”
Temporary Detective Superintendent Rob O’Conner said: “We arrested Fife following a proactive operation which targets those who try to groom children.
“We undertake these operations to protect young people who use the internet and social media. I hope that Fife’s sentence acts as a deterrent to those who try to use the internet to engage in illegal sexual activity – we are watching, and we will take action.
“Cumbria is a safe place for children and young people to grow up, and we are committed to keeping it that way. We use a number of tactics to keep children safe, and bring those who seek to exploit young people to justice.
“I would like to take this opportunity to urge parents to take some time to find out how to keep your children safe online. These days it is common for children and young people to have access to a number of websites and social media apps, and it is of the utmost importance that parents take simple steps to keep their child safe. For tips and information please visit www.cumbria.police.uk/onlinesafety.”
Anyone with any concerns or suspicions around child sexual exploitation should call Cumbria Police on 101, or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
