A trainee primary school teacher was given an indeterminate prison sentence yesterday after attempting to pay for the sexual services of a child.
Andrew Ibbotson, 34 from Greenwich, South London was found guilty of 10 sexual offences after a successful investigation by officers from the Metropolitan Police Service's Paedophile Unit.
Police say Ibbotson was arrested on 21st March 2012 after arranging with an undercover police officer to sexually abuse three children, all aged 10 and under. Ibbotson made it clear to the officer he wanted to sexually and physically abuse them the Met said.
Police then searched his house and identified a number of computers and phones where indecent images of children were discovered on his computer, from Levels 1-5 (5 being the most serious).
Acting Detective Chief Inspector Noel McHugh of the Paedophile Unit said: "Andrew Ibbotson is a dangerous individual. His communications with other paedophiles show intent to sexually abuse and torture children.
"I am in no doubt that Ibbotson would have committed serious sexual assaults had the children mentioned as part of the undercover police operation existed. I believe that he has committed other offences and I would therefore urge anyone who believes they may have been a victim to have the confidence to report the incident to police. We are here to support and protect you.
"The message to paedophiles in London is clear - every week we are arresting and convicting dangerous individuals like you. Only last week, two paedophiles were convicted for committing similar offences to Ibbotson".
The offences and sentences, all of which are concurrent, are as follows:
1 x attempting to arrange the commission of a child sex offence - 274 days imprisonment.
1 x attempting to pay for the sexual services of a child - indeterminate sentence with a tariff of seven years.
4 x making an indecent image of a child - total of five months imprisonment.
3 x distributing an indecent image of a child - 18 months imprisonment.
1 x possession of a quantity (95) of indecent images of children - four months imprisonment.
