Workington man wanted sex with girls aged 13 and 14

The latest offending of 23-year-old Joshua Sibbald was exposed thanks to the work of two volunteer paedophile hunter groups who deployed decoys posing as girls aged 13 and 14, Carlisle Crown Court heard.

The defendant, of Salterbeck Drive, Workington, admitted eight counts of attempting to sexually communicate with a child and three of downloading child abuse images, including three classed as Category A, the most serious.

He also admitted breaching a sexual harm prevention order.

Gerard Rogerson, prosecuting, outlined how in February, after his release from an earlier three year sentence, Sibbald began going online, using two websites to make contact with people he believed were young girls, aged 13 and 14.

The profiles he clicked on featured photos of girls who were clearly around that age but they were decoys, set up by the citizen-run groups called Team Shade and Book of Exposure.  Describing one of those groups, Mr Rogerson said activist parents who are concerned about adults who sexually groom children online.

One activist, posing as a 14-yaer-old, later described being contacted by Sibbald on February 14. “She clearly said that her age was 14,” said Mr Rogerson, but Sibbald was not deterred.

“The suggestion was immediately put by Mr Sibbald that they should meet up to have sexual intercourse and he was aroused by her.

“She replied: ‘Hey, I’m 14; I can’t do that.’” Sibbald had similar conversations with other decoys, despite them clearly stating their age as either 13 or 14.

The messages he sent to the girls ranged from discussing sexual matters to requesting that they send naked photos of themselves, said Mr Rogerson. “He also also discussed having intercourse with them,” added the prosecutor.

Online paedophile hunters snared sex offender weeks after his release from jail

Sibbald has been assessed as posing a "high risk of serious harm" to children.

Recorder Tony Hawks said that it was a matter of “considerable regret” that Sibbald was not given help to address his sexual interest in children while he served the custodial part of his three year jail term.

Kim Whittlestone, defending, said that a recent psychiatric and probation reports were helpful, and revealed that the defendant has a low IQ and that he was suffering from ADHD, unstable emotional personality disorder and a degree of autism.

When discussing the case with the barrister over a video link, he had become “extremely distressed,” said Miss Whittlestone. She said: “He doesn’t want to reoffend and wants to find out why he behaves in the way he does.

“There appears to be some clarity about the issues which need to be addressed and hopefully lower the risk [of reoffending] if he gets the support he needs.”

She added that it was extremely sad that the work he should have done while in prison, given the covid situation, was not done. Within a short time of his release, he was living a very isolated life and began drinking,  she said.

“The offences were committed while in drink,” added Miss Whittlestone.

Recorder Tony Hawks told Sibbald: “You are a young man with considerable difficulties; and it is unsatisfactory to say the least that during the time you spent in custody on that sentence it appears that there was no input whatsoever to address what is obviously a fundamental problem you have in relation to a prurient interest in under-age girls.”

The judge noted Sibbald’s severe educational problems and his various psychological challenges but added: “You knew perfectly well that you have no business doing what you did.”

The judge imposed two years custody and said that Sibbald, who was recalled to prison to complete his earlier three year sentence for eight child sex offences, will be on the Sex Offender register for a decade.