After bragging about how simple it was to groom a youngster online, a Doncaster Paedophile, Mark Foster, imprisoned for more than seven years was investigated by our specialist Internet Sexual Offences Team (ISOT).
Following executing two orders at his home address, resulting in the seizure of his gadgets, 44-year-old Mark Foster of Osborne Road was detained.
After these gadgets were turned in for forensic investigation, hundreds of illicit photographs of children and communications displaying him chatting to young minors on the internet were found.
Mark Foster was recorded in one online chat discussing how he felt he had been able to hide his crimes and talked of how simple it would be to raise children online.
The case’s officer in charge, Detective Constable Sam Brown, said:
“Internet sex offenders like Mark Foster largely operate in their shadows.
“They think they are untouchable but what they don’t know is ISOT are working quietly in the background and under the radar to build cases against these criminals and bring them to justice.
“The officers who work within ISOT are highly skilled at their job and they are committed to protecting children from depraved online predators like Mark Foster.”
Mark Foster pleaded guilty to multiple offences, including causing or inciting a girl 13 to 15 to engage in sexual activity, distributing an indecent photograph of a child and six counts of making an indecent photograph of a child.
Mark Foster was jailed for four years and two months, with a three-year extended sentence due to the nature of the offence, at Sheffield Crown Court last Monday (15 July).
DC Brown said:
“We are pleased an extended sentence has been served to Mark Foster which reflects the severity of his offending and the efforts of ISOT to pull together the evidence needed which meant he had no choice but to plead guilty to his crimes.
“Mark Foster’s child victims have been offered support and safeguarding referrals and I want to thank them and their families for the support they have shown our investigation.
“We take all reports of sexual abuse towards children seriously and if you have been a victim or you know someone who has been a victim of, please come forward and report it to police.
“We are here to listen and we will always treat you with sensitivity and compassion.”
Mark Foster was also made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and must sign the Sex Offenders’ Register.
For more information about some of the signs of online child abuse and how to protect your children online, visit the dedicated page on our website: https://www.southyorkshire.police.uk/advice/advice-and-information/caa/child-abuse/online-child-abuse/.
If you or anyone you know have been affected by the people highlighted in this article, then please report those individuals to the Police on 101 (999 if an emergency) or visit their online resources for further details of the options for reporting a crime. You can also make a report at Crimestoppers should you wish to be completely anonymous. There is help available on our support links page.