Sleaford man spared jail after being caught out by decoys posing as 12-year-old girls

Matthew Wright, 20, who suffers from a number of conditions on the autism spectrum, was confronted by members of an adult decoy group at Sleaford cricket club after his offending was exposed.

Lincoln Crown Court heard Wright began social media contact with the profile of a decoy who he believed was a 12-year-old girl on May 10 last year.

Andrew Howarth, prosecuting, said Wright sent intimate photographs of himself to that person and added her to a group which he named "Sexy Girls Group."

The only other member of that group was in fact another decoy posing as a 12-year-old girl, the court was told.

Mr Howarth said Wright asked them: "Do you both want to date me?"

And when one of the decoys told Wright she was going to bed he sent her a pornographic video, adding: "I'll do that to you."

Conversations continued the next day when Wright asked if the decoys wanted to have sex with him but he was told they were too young, Mr Howarth added.

Wright also sent one of the decoys images of a woman being tied up, telling her: "I'll tie you like this."

Wright, whose full address was not disclosed by request of the court, admitted two charges of attempting, between April 1 and May 12, 2022, to engage in sexual communication with a girl he knew to be under 16.

He also pleaded guilty to two charges of attempting to cause a child to watch or look at an image of sexual activity between the same dates, and three offences of possessing indecent images of children between August 2020 and May last year.

The court heard Wright was arrested on May 12 after he went to meet someone who he thought was a 17-year-old girl at Sleaford Cricket Club, and was in fact members of an adult decoy group.

When police searched Wright's mobile phone and iPad they found 62 category A indecent images of children (Category A being the more serious in nature), 30 category B images and 46 category C images, all of girls aged between 11 and 17. Those images dated back until August 2020.

Jeremy Janes, mitigating, told the court Wright suffered from a number of conditions on the autism spectrum, and submitted a moving reference from his mother, who was sat in court.

Mr Janes said those conditions provided an explanation, but not an excuse, for his offending, and argued the public would be better served by a constructive sentence in the community.

"The reasons I say that are his age, his pleas, his conditions, the offending itself and the reasons behind it, his progress since his arrest and the prospects of rehabilitation," Mr Janes added.

"He has never met or attempted to meet a 12-year-old."

Mr Janes said Wright had no previous convictions and there was no element of grooming.

"Although he was chronologically 19, in reality looking at the reports of the psychiatrist and the psychologist and the letter from his mother, he was chronologically younger than his age, in reality he was a child himself," Mr Janes added.

"Through the auspices of the internet he found what he thought was friendship.

"It was unbeknown to his mother, she did not know what was going on. There is no criticism of her."

The court heard Wright had been living independently since May and had abided by an electronically monitored curfew.

Mr Janes said Wright was also no longer using the internet, and was now proud of his achievements in new hobbies such as gardening and cooking.

Sentencing Wright to a three year community order, Judge Catarina Sjolin Knight told Wright the offences were "attempts" as the victims were in fact members of adult decoy groups.

Judge Sjolin Knight said there was no disagreement that Wright suffers from conditions which he continues to live with.

"Having stepped away from the internet you have made good progress," Judge Sjolin Knight added. "You have developed real world hobbies."

Wright must also complete a sex offender treatment course and 30 rehabilitation requirement days.

He was also made the subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order which will last for five years.