Locations
Valley View, Baildon, Shipley, Bradford, BD17
Description
A man who made “determined, sophisticated and aggressive” attempts to meet a 12-year-old girl for sex after contacting her online has been jailed for six years.
Thomas Neely, 32, from Valley View in Baildon, must register as a sex offender for life and is subject to an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
The child's profile was operated by a police officer.
Neely, using the username “Fatguy,” was traced after exchanging details and arranging to pick her up for sex at a private house in Coventry.
At Bradford Crown Court, Recorder Jason Pitter KC told Neely:
“You had every intention of carrying these offences out if [your victim] had been real.
“This was not just fantasy talk. This was you making actual arrangements to carry out the offence.
“I’m sure that is what you would have done if you could.”
Neely's case marks another success in West Yorkshire Police’s efforts to catch online pedophiles.
The court heard Neely contacted the profile on September 2 last year, saying he was “looking to have some fun.” She revealed she was 12.
On Kik as “TomN,” he asked to see her, saying he would “love to be her first,” teach her about sex and “kinks or fantasies.”
He suggested she masturbate on camera, instructed her, and sent an image of his erect penis.
He proposed sex, detailed a meetup in Coventry for a few days, and sent a masturbation video.
Police linked the Kik account to his address, seizing a smartphone, tablet, and laptop. Forensics showed he tried to delete three online accounts afterward.
Arrested on September 9, Neely gave mostly “no comment” answers.
He had no convictions but a 2016 caution for possessing an indecent child image.
Neely pleaded guilty to attempting to cause a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity, attempting to cause a child under 13 to watch a sexual act, attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child under 16, and arranging for a child to engage in a sexual offence.
In mitigation, the judge was urged to avoid immediate prison due to psychological impact on Neely.
Recorder Pitter said this related to Neely being “caught out,” calling his behavior “troubling.” He noted the deletions as a “very significant aggravating factor” from being “spooked” and trying to dispose of evidence.
He added:
“You were determined, quite sophisticated with how you operated, and quite aggressive in how you operated with no regard [for the victim].”
The judge ordered forfeiture of the seized devices.