A Clacton man was handed a 10-year sexual harm prevention order after engaging in sexually explicit conversations with what he believed to be a child under 16 years of age.

Chelmsford Crown Court heard how Essex Police launched an investigation into Adrian Simcock, 33, of Wellesley Road in Clacton, after receiving information that he was attempting to engage in sexual conversation with young children online.

Simcock asked what he believed to be underage children to send sexually explicit photographs of themselves.

Essex Police launched an investigation and executed a warrant at the address in Clacton he was living in at the time on November 30 in 2017, arrested Simcock and seized a haul of equipment including mobile phones, tablets and a USB stick.

The equipment was forensically examined and found to contain chats between Simcock and individuals identifying themselves as children aged 12, 13, 14 and 15.

All of the conversations were of a sexual nature and involved Simcock asking for sexually explicit photos as well as sending indecent images of himself.

Following the sentencing investigating officer Sgt Clair Ward said: “There is no doubt that from the conversations found on Simcock’s devices that he believed he was communicating with children as young as 12 and that conversation was of a sexually explicit nature.

“The actions of Essex Police ensured no young people were exposed to Simcock’s harmful behaviour.

“Nothing is more important than protecting our children and Essex Police has and will continue to proactively target those grooming young children online or viewing, downloading or making indecent images of children.

“If you are committing this crime we will knock on your door and we will put you before the courts.”

Simcock was charged and pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to five counts of engaging in sexual communication with a child, three counts of making an indecent photography of a child and a further charge of possessing a prohibited image of a child.

He was given a six-month suspended sentence, a 10-year sexual harm prevention order, made to complete a sex offender rehabilitation programme.

He was also given 200 hours of unpaid work and ordered to pay £400 costs and a £115 victim surcharge at a hearing at the court on Thursday November 22, 2018.