A man who devised plans to exploit a nine-year-old child sexually, Stephen Biles, has been incarcerated following an undercover police operation.
Stephen Biles, 61, believed he was conversing with an individual who would facilitate the exploitation of a female in a hotel, but was, in fact, communicating with a police officer.
The covert inquiry conducted from January to March 2020 involved a fictitious youngster who was nonexistent.
On April 1, 2020, Stephen Biles was apprehended at his residence in Riverside, Ringwood, where authorities confiscated gadgets holding 52 category C indecent photos of minors.
Work by the North East Regional Organised Crime Unit (NEROCU) allowed further investigation by Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary’s Internet Child Abuse Investigation Team (ICAT).
Stephen Biles was charged with making indecent images of children and two counts of arranging or facilitating the commission of a child sex offence.
Stephen Biles pleaded guilty to the indecent images but maintained his innocence on the other two charges.
However, after a trial at Portsmouth Crown Court on September 4 this year, Biles was found guilty.
On September 27, at Southampton Crown Court, Stephen Biles was jailed for three years and nine months.
Stephen Biles was also made subject to an indefinite sexual harm prevention order and placed on the sex offender register indefinitely.
The judge said the investigation uncovered a “prolonged torrid exchange of messages over a period of time”.
They added Stephen Biles “couldn’t let the prospect of meeting a child go”.
Following the sentencing, PC Gemma Southcott, from ICAT, said: “This was a lengthy investigation utilising specialist tactics to target a man posing a very clear risk to children.
“In spite of the overwhelming evidence gathered against Stephen Biles, he still maintained his innocence. This only prolonged his inevitable conviction, with the jury taking just one hour to reach their verdicts.
“ICAT are a specialist team dedicated to targeting those who use the perceived anonymity of the internet to cause serious harm to children. It is challenging work and the investigations can be lengthy and complex, but we are committed to removing dangerous people from the streets.”
NEROCU Op Lead, detective inspector Allen Hull, said: “This has been a great example of police partnership at its best. Coming together using a holistic approach to put a dangerous predator behind bars.
“We will continue to do all we can to protect children from harm whether that be in-person or online along with our police colleagues across the country.
“If any child or young person is concerned about someone they’re speaking to online, please tell someone about it or report it directly to the police.”
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 111 (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.