“Dangerous” paedophile handed extended jail for repeated attempts of sexual gratification with “young girls”
“I deem you to be dangerous”
A “dangerous” convicted paedophile has been handed an extended jail term for repeated attempts of sexual gratification with “young girls”.
Thomas Hall, aged 38, made gross remarks online with two police officers and a member of the public posing as underage girls aged around 12-13 years old.
Sheffield Crown Court heard Hall, from Barnsley, contacted the online decoys over an app, telling one: “You can be my dirty little girl. You can call me daddy.”
During the grubby exchange on January 18, 2023, after requesting naked pictures he asked her to commit a sex act, giving “thorough” instructions and committing a sex act himself over a video call, asking if she “enjoyed it”.
Stephanie Hollis, prosecuting, said Hall was lured into a meeting by paedophile hunters in Scunthorpe, where he was confronted and arrested.
Forty-one indecent images including 11 category A videos were found on his phone. An analysis of his conversations showed him “discussing the abuse of children” and exchanging upsetting pictures.
The court heard Hall had significant mental health challenges including a low IQ.
Judge David Dixon told him: “You’ve shown yourself to be a particular danger - this is repeated (attempted) contact with young girls for sexual gratification.
“There is an extreme risk that it will progress to more harm. You clearly know right from young and were able to lie during interview.
“There’s a risk you will carry out further offences online - I deem you to be dangerous.”
Hall, formerly of Highstone Corner, Worsbrough, was handed six-and-a-half years’ jail with a post-custodial licence period of three-and-a-half years.
He will have to serve at least two-thirds of the custodial period before being considered for parole.
He admitted attempted sexual communications with a child, attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity and making and distributing indecent images.