Doncaster registered sex offender jailed after being caught in police sting to meet ‘14-year-old’ girl

Andrew Bowes, 48, of Oakwood Road, Balby was arrested on September 1, after communicating with, what he thought, was a 14-year-old girl.

Bowes had asked the “child”, who was actually a decoy from an online child activist group, to share indecent images of herself before suggesting they meet face-to-face, a court heard.

After his arrest, a search of his phone led to the recovery of devices which showed the messages between Bowes and the decoy.

The 48-year-old had previously been handed a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) in 2020.

Bowes pleaded guilty to three counts of breaching his SHPO, attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child and attempting to arrange or facilitate the commission of a child sex offence.

He was then jailed for three years at Sheffield Crown Court last Wednesday (Sept 25).

Investigations officer Fiona Booth, who was the officer in charge of this case, said: "Bowes believed he was speaking to a 14-year-old child, and yet he continued to make inappropriate sexual advances.

"A thorough search of his devices led to his crimes being exposed and in comments made prior to his arrest, he was heard saying 'I was only messing about', which shows how little responsibility he took for his actions.

"Bowes posed a high level of risk and we are pleased he has been given an immediate three-year custodial sentence.

"We will continue investigating the crimes of sex offenders like Bowes to stop them in their tracks and to keep children safe from online sexual predators."