Police snare Sheffield pervert who attempted to groom a 12-year-old girl

Sheffield Crown Court heard on April 8 how Jamie Ellis, 41, of Belmont Avenue, Chapel Town, Sheffield, admitted attempting to meet a child who was actually a police decoy.

Nicola Quinney, prosecuting, said: “He made contact on January, 2020, through Whisper, a social media site.

“He said he was 27 and he is 41. She told him within the first message she was nearly 13 and contact continued until February 6, 2020.”

Ms Quinney added conversations were highly sexual and Ellis suggested they should meet.

The court heard Ellis talked about his private parts, sex, oral sex and masturbation and he sent a picture of his genitals.

Ms Quinney said Ellis arranged a meeting on February 6 when police swooped and found the defendant with condoms in his car.

Ellis, who has no previous convictions, pleaded guilty to three counts of attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity and to one count of attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming.

Emma Coverley, defending, said Ellis cares for his parents and any sentence will also impact upon them.

She added Ellis worked as a contractor but a conviction will affect his future employment.

Judge Rachael Harrison sentenced Ellis to four years of custody and he was placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register indefinitely and made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for 15 years.