NEIL BENNETT FROM TOWCESTER SENTENCED FOR ONLINE PAEDOPHILIA OFFENSES IN NORTHAMPTON

A 39-year-old man from Towcester, Neil Bennett, believed he was communicating with a mother planning a meeting to have sex with her 11-year-old daughter, but in reality, he was speaking with an undercover police officer.

The ex-serviceman spent two weeks messaging what he thought was a mother online, devising a plan to sexually assault her young daughter. As part of his attempts to prove his seriousness, Bennett even sent indecent images of children to the woman and later asked her to send similar images of her own child.

What Bennett did not realize was that his online conversation was with an undercover policewoman.

On June 1, at Northampton Crown Court, it was revealed that Bennett canceled the planned meeting on the day it was supposed to occur.

Recorder Mr. Stuart Sprawson commented during sentencing, "On the day, you had second thoughts and realised what you were doing was wrong, improper, or simply something you couldn't go through with. But it’s clear that, over a span of two weeks, you expressed a serious intention to carry it out."

The evidence from chat logs led to Bennett's arrest. Police also discovered 108 images of indecent material on his devices, with 50 classified as 'category A,' the most severe under UK law.

The court noted that Bennett had shown 'genuine remorse' since being apprehended. Despite this, the judge determined an immediate custodial sentence was necessary.

"I would not be fulfilling my duty if I did not impose an immediate custodial sentence," said Mr. Sprawson.

Bennett was sentenced to 18 months in prison and received a sexual harm prevention order that limits his access to the internet and electronic devices.