August 11, 2016 3.00 pm This story is over 90 months old

‘Lonely’ Mablethorpe pervert jailed for three years

A man who contacted young girls online asking them to perform sexual acts was today jailed for three years at Lincoln Crown Court. James Elliott, 61, of Waterloo Road, Mablethorpe, was described as a lonely man who lived in a fantasy world and used chatrooms to ask girls to send him photographs of themselves. Sarah Knight,…

A man who contacted young girls online asking them to perform sexual acts was today jailed for three years at Lincoln Crown Court.

James Elliott, 61, of Waterloo Road, Mablethorpe, was described as a lonely man who lived in a fantasy world and used chatrooms to ask girls to send him photographs of themselves.

Sarah Knight, prosecuting, said that Elliott, who worked as a cleaner at a caravan park, was arrested in March after police raided his home in Mablethorpe.

Miss Knight said: “The police seized a number of electronic devices from his home. They found a large quantity of indecent images of children and also extreme pornography.

“It was clear from the information the defendant gave to the police that he had been chatting to young children online and requesting that they send him indecent images of themselves.

“He was asking them to perform sexual acts and offering them money to have sex with other men. He had spoken to a variety of young girls in a sexual manner over a span of four years and requested indecent images of them. The youngest would have been six to eight years old.

“The defendant said he had distributed indecent images including 20 to 30 videos and a couple of hundred still images.

“The police found searches on his computer for rented flats in various locations and for flights to various countries. He had been researching the age of consent in different countries.

“There was reference to the Philippines. He said he sent money. There was a £50 transfer in return for indecent photographs.

“He explained his sexual interest with youngsters was young teens and had existed for four or five years.”

Miss Knight said that during the search of Elliott’s home police also found a collection of children’s underwear which he confessed he had taken from caravans he cleaned.

Elliott admitted charges of inciting child pornography and attempting to cause girls to engage in sexual activity

He also admitted charges of making, possessing and distributing indecent images of children and possession of extreme pornography.

Judge John Pini QC, passing sentence, told him “This clearly has been an addiction of yours.

“Although you did not physically touch any of these children all of them, in order to have these images produced, had to be sexually abused. Those that view imagery like this online are encouraging a market and encouraging the abuse of children.”

Terry Boston, defending, said “He seems pleased that it has come to light and he is going to be able to get some sort of assistance and help.

“He is a lonely man living in a fantasy world. He has had no friends for a number of years and has held down a low-paid job cleaning caravans.”