Following several covert police operations in South Yorkshire, three child sex offenders have been imprisoned.
Andrew Spinks, 45, from Warmsworth in Doncaster, left messages of a sexual nature to an online page he thought belonged to a small child.
On April 18, officers behind the fictitious profile carried out a warrant at his address and detained him.
Earlier this month, he was imprisoned for 16 months for violating a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and for trying to communicate sexually with a kid.
In addition, a 33-year-old man was imprisoned for trying to have sex with a young child and for attempting to have a young child under 13 participate in penetrative sexual behaviour.
Timothy Newberry of Reresby Park Close in Rotherham also thought he was speaking with a youngster online in June 2023. His term spanned three years and six months.
Mark Priest, 39, from Sheffield, was imprisoned for three years and nine months for a variety of offences, including three counts of trying to have sex with a child.
He was also found guilty of three counts of attempting to cause a child aged under 13 to participate in non-penetrative sexual activity, sexual communication with a child, encouraging a child to join in non-penetrative sexual activity, and encouraging a child to participate in penetrative sexual activity.
Detective Constable Spencer Lodge said his officer worked over several months to collect the evidence to convict all three men.
“It is not always an easy job, but the protection of the young children who could fall victim to these predators if they are not caught always remains at the forefront of our minds.”