PORTADOWN MAN GETS PROBATION AFTER MOLESTING TEEN BY FAKE PAEDOPHILE GROUP

Lee Alan Sheffield from Portadown has been ordered to serve two years on probation after appearing at Craigavon Magistrates Court. The 46-year-old entered a guilty plea to attempting to engage in sexual communication with a minor under the impression she was 14 years old. The offender had used social media to contact what he believed was a 14-year-old girl, but in reality, the profile belonged to members of a paedophile hunter group. The conversations were described as extremely explicit. Sheffield confessed it was a foolish mistake and admitted offering £200 for indecent images. The judge, Michael Ranaghan, explained that while many think imprisonment is the best solution for such offenders, he opted for a non-custodial sentence to allow for therapeutic work. Sheffield was ordered to sign the sex offenders register and was given a five-year Sexual Offences Prevention Order. The judge warned that any further offenses would result in two months jail, which he deemed 'pointless' without intervention.