Crayford man sentenced for attempting to contact child online
Ashley Acott received a suspended prison sentence and must register with police for 10 years.
Incident → evidence → outcomeAshley Acott, of North Road, Crayford, has been sentenced to a suspended prison term after admitting to attempting to engage in sexual communication with a person he believed to be under 16. The offence occurred on 2 March last year, and Acott pleaded guilty on 24 September. He appeared at Sevenoaks Magistrates' Court on Thursday.
The 29-year-old intentionally attempted to communicate sexually with the individual for the purpose of obtaining sexual gratification. The court stated the offence was serious enough to warrant a custodial sentence, but it was suspended due to a realistic prospect of rehabilitation.
Court Orders and Restrictions
Acott was sentenced to 12 months in prison, suspended for 12 months. He was also ordered to complete 120 hours of unpaid work. Additionally, he must register with the police for 10 years.
A five-year sexual harm prevention order was imposed, placing significant restrictions on his internet use and contact with children. These include requirements for police to inspect his internet-enabled devices, prohibitions on private browsing and automatically deleting messages, and the deletion of internet histories. He is also prohibited from having unsupervised communication with children under 16, with some specified exceptions.
Acott was also ordered to pay £85 in prosecution costs and a £187 surcharge, as reported by This Is Local London.
Questions this report answers
01What was Ashley Acott sentenced for?
Ashley Acott was sentenced for attempting to engage in sexual communication with a person he believed to be under 16. He admitted to the offence, which he committed on 2 March last year.
02What sentence did Ashley Acott receive?
He received a 12-month prison sentence, suspended for 12 months. He was also ordered to complete 120 hours of unpaid work and must register with police for 10 years.
03What restrictions are in place due to the sexual harm prevention order?
A five-year sexual harm prevention order prohibits unsupervised contact with children under 16 and places restrictions on internet use. Police can inspect his devices, and he cannot use private browsing or delete internet histories.
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