Three men who believed they were speaking to children online jailed after being caught in police sting

South Yorkshire Police’s Internet Sexual Offences Team’s work resulted in three men who believed they were speaking to children online being jailed this month for child sex offences.

Andrew Spinks, 45, from Warmsworth, Doncaster, had been speaking online with a profile he believed belonged to a young girl on April 4 and 10, sending messages of a sexual nature.

Officers behind the false profile executed a warrant at his address on April 18 and he was arrested.

Spinks was sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court on May 13 for attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, and for breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order which had been made on 20 January 2022. He was jailed for a total of 16 months.

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Timothy Newberry, 33, of Reresby Park Close, Rotherham, was convicted of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, and attempting to cause a child under the age of 13 to engage in penetrative sexual activity.

Newberry also believed he was communicating with a child online when he committed the offences in June 2023.

He was sentenced to three years and six months prison at Sheffield Crown Court on Monday May 20.

Mark Priest, 39, of Haggstones Road, Sheffield, was jailed for three years and nine months at Sheffield Crown Court on May 17, for several offences including three counts of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, three counts of attempting to cause a child aged under 13 to engage in non-penetrative sexual activity, engaging in sexual communication with a child, inciting a child to engage in non-penetrative sexual activity, and inciting a child to engage in penetrative sexual activity.

In each of these offences, Priest believed he was communicating with the profile of a real child online.

Detective Constable Spencer Lodge said: “Our officers have worked hard over several months to collect the evidence required to see these three criminals locked up.

“It is not always an easy job, but the protection of the young children who could fall victim to these predators if they are not caught always remains at the forefront of our minds.

“I am delighted that three sex offenders have been taken off the streets, but we will continue this vital work to ensure children in South Yorkshire, and across the country, are kept safe from those who would do them harm.”