The Leicester Paedophile, Joseph Hopkinson, who was unaware that he was communicating with law enforcement while attempting to arrange a meeting to sexually assault a minor, has been incarcerated.
Joseph Hopkinson, 39 years old, travelled by train from Leicester to Cheltenham in August 2022 with the intent to sexually assault a 10-year-old child.
Joseph Hopkinson had been in communication with specialised police detectives who apprehended him upon his arrival at Cheltenham railway station on 17 August.
Joseph Hopkinson has received a sentence of seven years and two months for the offence.
He has remained incarcerated since his apprehension.
The 39-year-old was also found to have cannabis on him and in his home when it was searched by Leicestershire Police.
The 39-year-old, Joseph Hopkinson, of St James Road in Leicester, denied the offences and was due to stand trial at Exeter Crown Court on 13 February.
However, he changed his pleas to guilty on what was meant to be the first day of his trial.
At Gloucester Crown Court on Tuesday he was jailed for seven years and two months for arranging/facilitating the commission of a child sex offence, namely the rape of a child under 13.
Joseph Hopkinson was also sentenced to nine months for two drugs offences, to run concurrently.
Detective Inspector Simon Goodenough, from the child sexual exploitation and indecent images of children teams said: “Joseph Hopkinson has a clear sexual interest in children and was intent on causing them significant harm.
“Joseph Hopkinson spent months communicating with the police operative about abhorrent things he was wanting to do to young children, and it was evident that he was planning to carry out his vile thoughts and ideas.”
He added that police teams work “tirelessly” to pursue sexual predators who are intent on causing harm.
Officers from the South West Regional Organised Crime Unit (SWROCU) worked with Gloucestershire Constabulary’s Indecent Images and Child Sexual Exploitation teams on the investigation.
Detective Inspector David Wells, from SWROCU’s online investigations team, said: “There is no doubt Joseph Hopkinson posed a serious threat to children and the sentence handed to him reflects that.”
Joseph Hopkinson has also been placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register for life and given an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
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