DAVID PEARCE FROM MILE CROSS SENTENCED FOR INTERNET LURE OF TEENAGE GIRL IN NORWICH

In a serious case that highlights the dangers of online predation, David Pearce, a resident of Bacton Road in Mile Cross, was sentenced to prison after attempting to lure a teenage girl over the internet for sexual purposes. The incident, which took place in Norwich, has brought to light the ongoing issues surrounding sex offenders and their monitoring.

Pearce, aged 49, engaged in online conversations with a girl who was only 13 years old. Posing as a 17-year-old boy under an alias, he exchanged messages with her on an internet chat forum. During these exchanges, he made explicit offers to visit her in London with the intent of engaging in sexual activity. This conduct was a clear breach of a sex offenders’ prevention order (SOPO) that had been imposed on him the previous year.

It was revealed that Pearce had a prior conviction for making and possessing indecent images of children, which led to the issuance of the SOPO. Despite this, he continued to breach the conditions of his order. He falsely claimed to police that his computer and mobile phone could not be checked because they were broken, attempting to obstruct monitoring efforts. However, when officers contacted PC World, where Pearce claimed he had taken his computer for repairs, it was discovered that he had only brought the device to the store after the police visit, indicating deliberate deception.

At Norwich Crown Court, Judge Katherine Moore described Pearce’s breaches as “calculated and sustained,” emphasizing the malicious intent behind his actions. She pointed out that Pearce had lied multiple times to conceal his true sexual motives, which demonstrated a pattern of deception and manipulation.

The initial contact with the girl occurred in January of that year, but Pearce’s breaches of the order persisted beyond that point. A probation report characterized him as “highly deceptive,” and noted that he claimed to have a “sexual addiction” and a “compulsion to act,” which he attributed to a supposed addiction to young girls. These claims were part of his attempt to justify his behavior during the legal proceedings.

During the hearing, Ian James, representing Pearce, argued that his client was honest with police after his arrest and admitted to having a problem. Despite this, Pearce’s actions and breaches of the order demonstrated a clear pattern of dangerous behavior. Ultimately, Pearce pleaded guilty to the charges and was sentenced to 14 months in prison, reflecting the seriousness of his violations and the threat posed to the community.