Sheffield sex-offender trapped by paedophile hunters said he was glad to get caught

Mark Best, aged 57, of Baslow Road, at Totley, Sheffield, who has convictions for sex offences, had sexual conversations with two online decoy profiles which had been set up by paedophile hunters and he tried to arrange to meet one of them before he was caught by police, according to a Sheffield Crown Court hearing.

Prosecuting barrister David Webster told the hearing on January 25: “The defendant’s activities came to light as a group of volunteers were setting-up online decoys to attract the attention of those with certain proclivities. He made contact with two decoys believing them to be children.”

Mr Webster added that Best engaged in sexual conversations with the first decoy who claimed to be a 13-year-old girl and he discussed his genitals, spanking, cuddling, unzipping his trousers, oral sex, sexual intercourse and that he could go to prison for being involved in this kind of communication.

Best also discussed masturbating and he tried to arrange to meet this decoy at a McDonald’s restaurant at a retail park in Chesterfield but he changed his mind, according to Mr Webster, and he told the decoy she should be with people her own age.

However, Mr Webster added that the defendant contacted the decoy again and said he had felt bad about not meeting her and asked if they could still meet up.

Mr Webster also said that another paedophile hunter group volunteer set-up another decoy as a 12-year-old girl from Derby and Best contacted them and became involved in further sexual conversations.

The paedophile group also set-up an adult, mature decoy and when the defendant turned up for a meeting he was arrested by police and said he was glad to have been caught and could not understand what he had been doing and that he needed help.

Best pleaded guilty to two counts of attempting to arrange or facilitate a child sex offence with a decoy between April and October 2022, and to one count of breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order from between April, 2022, and October, 2022, by using the internet to attempt to communicate with a child.

The court heard Best already has convictions including offences of non-penetrative touching of a female, breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, and attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child.

Defence barrister Joy Merriam said: “He admits he has a problem and he is attracted to young girls. He said he wants help in prison and the probation officer has said that his sentencing plan should involve that kind of work.”

The judge – Recorder Abdul Iqbal KC – sentenced Best to 48 months of custody and because he was deemed to be dangerous he must serve two-thirds of that term before he can be released and he will also have to serve an extended three years on licence at the end of the four year-term. Best has also been made subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order to last until 2031.