November 17, 2022 6.00 pm This story is over 28 months old

Former police worker jailed for sexual chats with ’15-year-old girl’

The girl was actually an undercover police officer

Alex Foster was jailed for 24 months. | Photo: Lincolnshire Police

A Northamptonshire Police employee was arrested at a KFC car park in Newark after having sexual chats with an undercover officer he thought was a 15-year-old girl.

Alex Foster, 42, who was employed as a defence tactics trainer for the force, arranged to meet the teenager after chatting to her between July 27 and August 10 and sending her indecent images.

Lincoln Crown Court heard condoms and lubricant were found in Foster’s car which he claimed were always present.

After his arrest Foster claimed he knew the meeting was a scam which he wanted to expose to stop him being blackmailed.

The court heard Foster met the undercover officer who he believed was a 15-year-old girl called Jessie on a website called “Shagging your postcode.”

She said she would be “16 next month” so Foster was in no doubt about her age.

Discussion took place about the teen sending a topless picture. When she asked “In a bra?”, Foster replied: “I prefer not, LOL.”

The court heard Foster also sent her indecent images of himself and talked about sex and meeting up.

Foster entered guilty pleas to the following charges:

  • Attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child he believed was aged under 16.
  • Intentionally encouraging or assisting the commission of an offence by sending a request for an indecent image.
  • Arranging or facilitating the commission of a child sex offence.

All the offences occurred between 26 July and 11 August this year.

Siward James-Moore, mitigating, said Foster was realistic about the sentence and seeking rehabilitation.

“The victim was in fact an undercover police officer not a 15-year-old,” Mr James-Moore added.

“He has positive good character from his employment which he resigned.”

Recorder James House KC jailed Foster for 24 months and made him the subject of a Sexual Offences Prevention Order for ten years.

The Recorder told Foster he arranged to meet up with an undercover officer he believed was a 15-year-old girl.

“That is precisely what happened here. You believed you were meeting a 15-year-old girl,” Recorder House told Foster.

“The express intention was for sexual intercourse.”

Recorder House added: “There was an element of grooming, planning and you made the journey.

“You were in a position of trust because you worked for Northamptonshire Police, although not as a police officer, that must be made clear.”