Former Soldier Jailed After Attempting to Engage in Sexual Chat with Undercover Officer Posing as 12-Year-Old Girl

A former soldier who engaged in explicit online communications and shared images with a 12-year-old girl was taken aback to learn that she was a fictitious persona and that he had been conversing with an undercover police officer.

During a police visit to the barracks where he was stationed, a significant collection of disturbing images and videos depicting children was uncovered, as reported in Hull Crown Court.

Paul Harkness, 25, pleaded guilty to charges of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a minor, trying to incite a child to participate in sexual activity, and three counts of possessing indecent images of children, all occurring in Leconfield, near Beverley.

Prosecutor Stephen Welch detailed that on November 14, 2022, an undercover officer posing as a 12-year-old girl initiated contact with Harkness online. The conversations progressed, with the decoy informing him of her age, which he acknowledged.

He solicited images from her and reciprocated with explicit photographs of himself. The discussions escalated in a sexual nature, with Harkness requesting a video of her dancing in her underwear.

He persistently sought intimate images and videos, assuring the fabricated girl, “I promise I won’t show anyone.” He sent her an explicit image and made further sexual propositions, asking, “Can I see a view of you stripping?” Subsequently, police searched the army barracks where he was employed, discovering 34 images classified as Category A, 27 in Category B, and 39 in Category C.

Additionally, they found 102 videos in Category A, 37 in Category B, and 132 in Category C, along with evidence indicating intentional searches for sexual images of minors. Harkness largely refrained from commenting during his police interview.

Dale Brook, representing Harkness, argued that no actual child was harmed since the girl was a decoy and noted that he had no prior convictions.

The offences related to indecent images involved the exploitation of actual children, resulting in potential lifelong harm. “This is not a sentence that can be considered for suspension,” stated Judge Thackray.

Harkness, residing in Belle Isle, Leeds, received a prison sentence of two years and eight months. Additionally, he was issued a 10-year sexual harm prevention order and is required to register as a sex offender for 10 years.