March man sentenced after admitting trying to have 'sexual communications' with a child

A man who accessed child pornography and sent explicit images to children via Skype has been sentenced.

Roger Phillips, 72, was arrested after officers became aware his Skype account being used to message children aged 10-14.

Officers carried out a warrant at his home in Westry, March, in November 2017 and seized a number of electronic devices, along with a notebook containing usernames for Skype accounts belonging to children.

Out of the items seized, two laptops were found to contain 28 indecent images of children along with numerous inappropriate search terms. One of the images was classed as category A – the most severe.

Philips admitted owning the devices and pleaded guilty to attempting to engage in sexual communications with a child and three counts of making indecent images of a child.

On Friday (10 January) at Peterborough Crown Court he was sentenced to eight months in prison, suspended for two years, ordered to complete 30 days rehabilitation activity requirement and was made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order. He was also placed on the Sex Offenders Register for ten years.

POLIT (Paedophile Online Investigation Team) Investigator, Flo Leftley-Gynn, said: “The force’s Paedophile Online Investigation Team routinely follows up intelligence where the internet is used to access indecent images of children or where young people are at risk. Philips will now be monitored whilst subject to a SHPO and will complete rehabilitation work.”

For more information on online grooming and the Sex Offenders Register, visit our website at www.cambs.police.uk/sexoffences