A PAEDOPHILE RAF veteran travelled 250 miles to Gwent from Hull to have sex with a 12-year-old schoolgirl.

Mark Lenthall, 53, was arrested last summer in Caerphilly where he thought he was going to meet up with the child.

But he was caught in a police sting on Saturday, July 10, 2021 after making the four and a half hour car journey to South Wales.

‘Layla’ didn’t actually exist and Lenthall soon found out he had been communicating with a decoy.

Cardiff Crown Court was told the defendant was a convicted paedophile.

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He was handed a suspended jail sentence in 2017 for making indecent images of children and engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child under 16.

Lenthall, of Sherburn Street, Hull, pleaded guilty to the offences he committed in Caerphilly last year.

South Wales Argus:

Mark Lenthall

He admitted attempting to arrange a meeting with an underage girl, attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity, attempting to communicate with a child, attempting to cause a child to look at an image of someone engaging in sexual activity and being in breach of a sexual harm prevention order.

He would have been a danger to children anywhere in the UK

The defendant was caught as a result of an operation by Tarian, the regional organised crime unit for southern Wales.

Lenthall was jailed for 13 years.

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After the court hearing, Detective Inspector Dave Bancroft said: “It is our absolute priority to protect and keep children safe in our communities, irrelevant of who or where that threat comes from.

“This man travelled around 250 miles with the view of committing serious sexual offences against a child.

“I have no doubt if we hadn’t acted when we did he would have been a danger to children anywhere in the UK.”

DI Bancroft added: “Tarian is committed to combatting child sexual abuse, safeguarding children and bringing those offenders who seek to abuse children to justice.

“Law enforcement operates across the internet and we will relentlessly seek to bring to justice offenders who use the web to facilitate the abuse of children.

“If anyone has been a victim of child sexual abuse, I urge you to report it to your local police force via 101.

“We will always follow up allegations of abuse, no matter when they occurred.

“Victims can talk in confidence to experienced investigators and we can also help them get access to a range of other support services.”

“If you have concerns about your use of the internet or inappropriate thoughts or behaviour about children or if you are worried about how someone you know behaves around children or are worried about their use of the internet then the Lucy Faithfull Foundation provide a free, anonymous and confidential Stop It Now! Helpline on 0808 1000 900 for advice, support and information.”

Lenthall will have to register as a sex offender for life and was made the subject of an indefinite SHPO.