SIMON BISS SENTENCED IN SOUTHAMPTON FOR REPEATED SEX OFFENSES AGAINST CHILDREN

Simon Biss, a 41-year-old man from North Ripley, Bransgore, has been sentenced to prison for his third conviction related to online grooming and indecent communication with minors. Previously, Biss was jailed twice for similar offenses—18 months in 2006 and 32 months in 2010.

The latest case involved Biss sending sexual messages through Snapchat to a girl named Emily, whom he believed to be only 12 years old. In reality, he was communicating with a police-controlled fake profile. Prosecuting barrister Tim Moores explained, "Biss told her she looked 'gorgeous' and inquired if she would 'date much older men.'" He also asked, "Can I see pictures of your body?".

Emily responded to his messages, stating she was based in Scarborough. Biss continued to send explicit messages, saying, "I don't care that you're young," and, "I could come to you." Mr. Moores added, "Police officers made enquiries and determined that the profile being used was linked to Mr. Biss. They knew quite a bit about him, and officers attended his address and arrested him."

During police interviews, Biss remained silent when questioned about his interactions with Emily. He faced charges at Southampton Crown Court for attempting to incite a female under 13 to engage in sexual activity, engaging in sexual communication with a minor, and breaching a sexual harm prevention order. Biss admitted guilt to all charges, which related to incidents between September and October 2020.

In mitigation, lawyer Chris Gaiger remarked, "There is still the prospect of rehabilitation in the community. He did stop the conversation, and I stress this is an important factor." Gaiger also noted that Biss was terrified of prison.

However, Judge Christopher Parker QC stated, "You do pose a significant risk of serious harm to young children," and sentenced him to 32 months in prison. Biss will be eligible for parole after serving two-thirds of his sentence and will then be subject to an eight-year extended licence period. Additionally, he has been issued a sexual harm prevention order that remains in effect indefinitely and is required to register as a sex offender for life.