A man who sent indecent images and videos of himself to what he thought were young girls has been jailed for more than nine years.
Adam Giles, 47, began contacting one of the “girls” on Snapchat in September 2020.
The “girl”, who was actually an adult, told him she was 12, but he persisted, sending her messages of a sexual nature, and suggesting he could book a hotel so they could meet.
He asked the girl if she was good at keeping secrets and told her not to tell anyone about their conversations, before sending her an indecent image of himself.
In November 2020 officers executed a warrant at his home in Paston, Peterborough. Giles was arrested and electronic devices seized for examination.
Analysis of two mobile phones and a hard drive revealed 12 indecent images or videos of children. Of these, seven were rated category A – the most severe.
Giles was charged, but while on court bail he began sexualised conversations with four more adults he believed were children on the social media platform Kik.
Giles was charged and remanded in relation to these offences in January this year when examination of a new phone took place.
This revealed three other chat streams on the social media platform Kik, with three more “girls” aged 12, 13 and 14, who were also adults. Giles sent them sexualised content and discussed meeting two of them, despite them being clear about their age at the start of the conversations.
Analysis the phone also revealed 11 indecent images or videos of children – five of which were category A.
Giles, of Havelock Drive, Peterborough, admitted attempting to cause or incite a girl under 13 to engage in sexual activity, five counts of attempting to engage in sexual communications with a child, two counts of arranging or facilitating sexual activity with child and five counts of making indecent images of a child.
On Friday (16 June) at Cambridge Crown Court he was jailed for 115 months. He was also placed on the Sex Offenders Register and made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order indefinitely.
DC Melanie Bull said: “Giles’ behaviour was absolutely disgusting. He persistently went looking for young girls to approach on social media platforms and did not stop communicating with them when they told him how old they were.
“I’m pleased he has now appeared in court and faced justice for his actions.
“Protecting the county’s children remains one of our top priorities and we will do all we can to bring people who attempt to prey on them to justice.”
Anyone who is concerned someone may have been convicted of a sex offence, and could be posing a risk to a child, can apply for disclosure information through Sarah’s Law.
