Ismail Mohammd, 27, of Cardiff, has been jailed for 45 months after sending explicit images to a decoy he believed was a 14-year-old girl and planning to meet her for sex.
Offence details
Mohammd began speaking to what purported to be a girl named "Maddie" in 2023, who told him she was 14 years old. He told her he would not be able to have sex with her because of her age and said he would "take care not to hurt her" when sex took place between them.
A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court on Friday heard the defendant sent photographs of himself to the decoy, who sent photos back but these were of an older woman. The images became more extreme in nature, and Mohammd sent images of his penis to the decoy, who presented "Maddie" as a vulnerable child.
Guilty plea and sentencing
The defendant was arrested and pleaded guilty to attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity and attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child. The court heard he is of previous good character.
Judge Paul Hobson said: "It seems to be you were minimising what you had done and saying unrealistic things about the offences. I am quite sure you intended to meet up physically with Maddie and your intention was to have full intercourse with her if you did have such a meeting. You provided your correct address to her at one stage, you were taking steps with a view to such a meeting.
"You got cold feet at the end of your exchanges shortly before you were detained. I'm quite sure your belief was Maddie was 14-years-old... Not at any stage did you say you didn't believe her or expressed a view she was older than she was saying. It follows you were sexually attracted to someone you believed was a child and keen to have sexual intercourse with that child in the future."
Mohammd, of Hansen Street, Roath, pleaded guilty on a basis which was rejected by the court, that he was engaging in a "fantasy" with an adult.
Judge Hobson continued: "I am quite sure you wanted to have real world sexual contact with this child. This was not the fantasy you referred to in your basis of plea."
Mitigation and outcome
In mitigation, Rose Glanville said her client was of previous good character. The barrister said the defendant sought asylum in the UK having fled conflict in Sudan. He has a wife living in Egypt who was hoping to join her husband and settle in the UK.
Ms Glanville said the defendant had not sought to speak to a child having joined an adult website. His immigration status in the UK is under review, but Ms Glanville said it is likely her client will be deported.
Mohammd was sentenced to 45 months imprisonment and was made subject to sex offender notification requirements indefinitely.
