MAN INVOLVED IN ONLINE SEXUAL CHAT WITH DECOY AND POSSESSION OF CHILD ABUSE IMAGES
A man stood before Carlisle Crown Court accused of engaging in sexually explicit online communications with what he believed was a 14-year-old girl and possessing images of child abuse on his mobile phone.Adam Carl Bloomfield, aged 40, appeared in court following his exchanges with an online decoy.
Prosecutor Caleb Suggitt explained: “The investigation was initiated after a referral from another law enforcement agency.” An undercover officer participated in a chat room using a female pseudonym, claiming to be 14 years old.
“The profile picture depicted a young girl in a school uniform, standing on a staircase,” Suggitt reported.
The decoy, using the username “Let’s Get HIgh,” claiming to be 16, started conversing on February 4, 2025.
The dialogue quickly turned highly sexualized, with the user encouraging the decoy to perform an intimate act.
Law enforcement focused on tracing the account to Bloomfield, as his email and personal info matched those used in the online profile.
On April 25, at 11:45 am, police arrested Bloomfield at his home.
He remained silent.
Officers seized three mobile phones.
One had online search terms related to sex, and another contained fifteen illegal images of children, two of which were classified as the most serious, Category A.
Bloomfield, who lives in Briarcote, Kirkby Stephen, pled guilty to four charges: attempting to communicate sexually with a child, and three counts of creating indecent images of children.
He has a record of 16 previous convictions, all for unrelated offenses.
Defence solicitor Chris Knox described Bloomfield as a relatively young man who was feeling lonely.
“He has been trying to turn his life around over recent years after a troubled history,” Knox stated.
He mentioned that Bloomfield had maintained stable employment over the past two years, though it was “not a public-facing position,” and added, “He is eager to avoid incarceration.” The judge, Recorder Ciaran Rankin, decided against sending Bloomfield to prison after reviewing a probation report.
He noted that Bloomfield appeared remorseful and had been “isolated and lonely” when offending.
Addressing Bloomfield directly, the judge said, “An independent unit was set up to catch individuals like you.
You fell into the trap.” Regarding the indecent images, Recorder Rankin told Bloomfield, “This is not a victimless crime, and I hope you will understand that during your rehab courses.” The court imposed an 18-month community order, requiring Bloomfield to complete a 26-day accredited rehabilitation program, undertake additional therapy, and perform 100 hours of unpaid work.
He is also subject to sex offender registration for five years, along with a separate five-year prevention order, and was ordered to contribute £500 toward court costs.
