JAIL FOR 'DANGEROUS' NORWICH OFFENDER WHO TRIED TO MEET GIRL
A convicted sex offender was arrested after he arranged to meet a girl in Norwich for sex, a court has heard.Andrew Ryan had been communicating online with what he thought was an 11-year-old girl but was in fact an undercover police officer.
Norwich Crown Court heard the 42-year-old - who had pretended to be 18 - first contacted the girl in the summer of 2023.
Chris Youell, prosecuting, said Ryan, who formerly used the surname Morton, had engaged in chats with the victim involving sexual communication, including sending images of his genitals.
The prosecutor said the "most serious offence" was attempting to meet the victim for sex.
He said Ryan - who has previous convictions for child sex offences - had arranged to meet the victim at Norwich Railway Station on September 22, 2023.
There was a suggestion they were going to go to a hotel, said Mr Youell.
After Ryan was arrested police also found indecent images - A, the most serious, B and C - on his phone.
Ryan, who was in breach of a sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) appeared at court on Monday for sentencing having previously admitted attempted sexual communication with a child under 16.
He also admitted attempting to cause a child to view an image of sexual activity.
In addition, Ryan, of Thistledown Road, Horsford, admitted attempting to meet a child under 16 to engage in sexual activity, as well as three offences of making indecent images of children.
Imposing an extended seven-year sentence made up of four years imprisonment and three years on licence, Judge Andrew Shaw said Ryan was a "dangerous" offender.
Rob Pollington, mitigating, said Ryan was "an individual that has without a shadow of a doubt a preoccupation with young persons".
He said the defendant has been "very open" and "candid" about his issues and had followed a "self-destructive course of behaviour".
The defence barrister insisted he was "remorseful" about what he had done.
Ryan was also put on the sex offenders' register for life and has been made the subject of a life-time Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).
