A man who intended to meet a child for sexual activities was sentenced to three years in prison after falling into a police trap. Matthew Hickman, 29, thought he was communicating with a 14-year-old girl named ‘Jess’ and traveled to Norfolk with the intention of engaging in sexual acts, revealed the Old Bailey court. Hickman, residing in Lewisham, southeast London, falsely claimed to be 19 years old and mentioned buying lingerie from Primark for the teenager.
During the sentencing, Judge Mr. Recorder David Jeremy KC mentioned that an undercover police officer, posing as a 14-year-old girl named ‘Jess’ in Norfolk, initiated the case. The officer set up various social media accounts with a profile picture of “Jess” in a school uniform.
Hickman started messaging ‘the girl,’ who indicated she was seeking fun. Subsequently, Hickman sent the undercover officer a lewd image and a distasteful comment. He maintained contact with the ‘young girl’ through multiple accounts, continuing to send inappropriate messages.
Hickman, visibly affected, was informed by the judge that he had asked the ‘girl’ about anal activities using a different account and was aware of her age discrepancy. The judge pointed out the seriousness of Hickman, now 29, believing he was conversing with a 14-year-old and planning to engage in sexual activities.
On December 5, 2024, Hickman was apprehended after authorities found explicit images of children, including 15 category A images, on his devices. The judge noted that Hickman denied any sexual interest in children during his interview, a falsehood he persisted in telling probation officers. Hickman admitted guilt to two counts of arranging sexual activities and three counts of producing indecent images, receiving a 36-month prison sentence. Additionally, he was subjected to an indefinite sexual harm prevention order and ordered to pay £228 in victim surcharge and other expenses.
