A Sandwell man, Gary Jefferis, has been imprisoned for arranging a sexual encounter with a 12-year-old girl.
Gary Jefferis was sentenced to four years in prison at Wolverhampton Crown Court after confessing to sending online communications in November of the previous year.
Gary Jefferis, 65, utilised internet chat platforms to transmit sexual messages, enquiring about the age of the girl with whom he was conversing.
Upon being informed that he was conversing with a 12-year-old, he stated that it posed no concern.
Throughout the correspondence, Gary Jefferis consistently requested to meet the girl and transmitted sexual texts and images.
Gary Jefferis scheduled a meeting with the girl at Sandwell and Dudley rail station for the purpose of engaging in sexual activity.
Upon Gary Jefferis’s arrival at the station, he was apprehended by officers.
During the interview, Gary Jefferis stated that he had not planned to execute his plan and that he was not genuinely interested in girls.
Notwithstanding this, the comprehensive archive of messages he had transmitted revealed his intentions.
Gary Jefferis, who has no permanent residence, entered a guilty plea and received a four-year prison sentence on 14 March of this year.
He was additionally issued a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).
Children may fall prey to online abuse via online games, social networking platforms, and applications such as Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat, accessible through devices including tablets, mobile phones, and gaming consoles.
If you or anyone you know have been affected by the people highlighted in this article, then please report those individuals to the Police on 101 (999 if an emergency) or visit their online resources for further details of the options for reporting a crime. You can also make a report at Crimestoppers should you wish to be completely anonymous. There is help available on our support links page.