MARCUS BLACK FROM COBRIDGE SENTENCED FOR CHILD SEX OFFENSES IN MIDLANDS

Marcus Black, a 32-year-old resident of Cobridge, found himself at the center of a serious criminal case involving online predatory behavior directed towards minors. The court proceedings revealed that Black engaged in inappropriate and illegal communications with a police officer who was posing as a 13-year-old girl on an adult website in June 2021.

During these exchanges, Black demonstrated a disturbing pattern of grooming and solicitation. He explicitly asked for photographs that were sexual in nature, describing himself as her boyfriend and requesting a picture of her in her school uniform. His messages included explicit comments such as 'I will have sex with you' and he even offered her a weekly allowance of £50 in exchange for such images. Black went further by sending explicit images himself, including an indecent photo of his erect penis, and inquired if she was 'excited about losing her virginity to him.'

He proposed meeting in person, suggesting they spend a night in a Midlands hotel and even asked if they could have sex in his car. During the conversations, he also asked her to call him 'daddy' or 'babe,' and sought details about her age and appearance, encouraging her to take provocative pictures. Throughout these interactions, Black referred to himself as her boyfriend, further attempting to establish a false sense of intimacy and trust.

The police investigation uncovered that Black’s phone contained five indecent images of children, highlighting the severity of his offending. The court heard that although Black was using a social media platform primarily aimed at adults, he made references to a much younger age and school uniform attire during his online conversations, which raised significant concerns about his intentions.

In court, Black pleaded guilty to charges of attempted sexual communication with a child and possession of indecent images. His sentencing resulted in a 14-month prison term, which was suspended for two years. The court also imposed several additional requirements, including a 60-day rehabilitation activity, 120 hours of unpaid community work, and a ten-year sexual harm prevention order. Furthermore, Black is required to register as a sex offender for ten years, reflecting the gravity of his offenses and the need for ongoing monitoring and protection of the public.