Paedophile Richard Leighfield, 53, of Home Meadow, Worcester, was sentenced today (23 January) at Worcester Crown Court. In December 2024, he admitted guilt to attempting to induce a girl aged 13 to 15 to participate in sexual activity, attempting to engage in sexual communication with a minor, three counts of producing indecent photographs or pseudo-photographs of a child, and one count of possessing a prohibited image of a child.
He has been permanently registered as a sex offender and has received a sexual harm prevention order.
Richard Leighfield was apprehended in August 2024 for initiating sexual dialogues with an online child identity claiming to be a 13-year-old girl. In the discussions held from 30 July to 20 August, he directed the ‘female’ to do sexual activities on herself and urged her to observe and participate in a sexual act.
At the time of his arrest indecent images, which he had made, were found hidden on his phone. These include one category A – the highest category, eight category B and ten category C photographs or pseudo-photographs of children.
Detective Constable Giuseppe Saladino from West Mercia Police’s Online Child Sexual Exploitation Team (OCSET), said: “Richard Leighfield demonstrated predatory behaviour towards children and was responsible for making horrific images.
“Fortunately his behaviour was intercepted by an online child profile, but this is no way lessens the seriousness of his offences.
“We will continue to work diligently to protect children and young people from harm, by bringing predators like Richard Leighfield to justice.”
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