JACK PAYNE OF SKEGNESS AND MABLETHORPE SENT BACK TO PRISON AFTER REPEATED SEX OFFENCES NEAR SKEGNESS

In a disturbing case that highlights the ongoing threat posed by convicted sex offenders, Jack Payne, a 22-year-old man from Mablethorpe, was swiftly re-incarcerated just days after being released early from prison. Payne, who has a troubling history of internet-based sexual offences, was deemed a significant danger to the community and was returned to custody on Monday following new allegations of inappropriate online conduct.

Payne’s criminal record includes a conviction from approximately a year ago for internet sex offences. He was serving a two-year sentence and was released on licence at the end of July. However, his brief period of freedom was short-lived, as within just 20 days, he resumed his online predatory behaviour. According to the prosecution, Payne engaged in conversations with what he believed to be a young girl under the age of 13, but in reality, he was communicating with a police decoy. The police had set up the decoy accounts on popular messaging platforms, including the Kick app and WhatsApp, to catch individuals attempting to exploit minors.

Fergus Malone, representing the Crown, told Lincoln Crown Court that during these chats, Payne believed he was speaking to a 12-year-old girl named Tilly. The decoy, posing as a young girl, made it clear she was only 12, yet Payne continued to make sexual suggestions and even sent explicit photographs of himself. This conduct prompted police to act swiftly. On August 25, officers visited Payne’s residence, located on Admiralty Road in Mablethorpe, where he denied the allegations, claiming that the evidence against him was “all lies.”

At the court hearing, Payne admitted to multiple serious charges, including attempting to cause or incite a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity, attempting sexual communication with a child, and trying to cause a child to view sexual images. The judge, Judge John Pini QC, sentenced him to four years in prison and imposed an extended licence period, which means he will not be eligible for parole until he has served at least two-thirds of his sentence. If released early, he will remain on licence until October 2027, with the risk of re-imprisonment if he breaches the conditions.

It was also noted that Payne is already on the sex offenders register and subject to a sexual harm prevention order, which was imposed during his previous sentencing last year. The judge emphasized the high risk he poses, stating, “He has literally walked out of prison and gone straight to his computer. He has been assessed as a very high risk of reoffending.”

Payne’s criminal activities are not isolated. In September 2020, he was caught in a sting operation conducted by paedophile hunters after he contacted what he believed to be 12-year-old girls online. The decoy accounts, created by the hunters, were designed to trap individuals seeking to exploit minors. Payne initially used his real name and claimed to be 20 years old when communicating with the decoys, “Katie” and “Madison,” who were actually adults posing as young girls.

Victoria Rose, prosecuting, explained that Payne continued to engage with the decoys even after being told they were only 12 years old. He asked one girl to be his girlfriend and insisted that a 12-year-old could have a 20-year-old boyfriend. He also inquired about having sex and requested explicit photos, even sending a picture of his penis. The hunters tracked him down after he provided his phone number and images, leading to police intervention at his Skegness address. During police interviews, Payne admitted to having sexual chats with minors.

He pleaded guilty to two charges of attempting to have sexual communication with a child and three charges of attempting to incite a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity. For these offences, he was sentenced to two years in prison, along with a 10-year sexual harm prevention order and a 10-year registration on the sex offenders’ register. His case underscores the ongoing dangers posed by individuals like Payne, who repeatedly offend despite previous convictions and legal restrictions.