Folkestone man jailed for online sexual offences

A Folkestone man who sent sexual messages to a girl online has been jailed.

Mark Clover was found guilty of inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity, sexual communication with a child and attempted sexual communication with a child following a trial at Canterbury Crown Court.

The 36-year-old, of Trinity Gardens, appeared before the same court on Wednesday 14 September 2023 and was jailed for two years and seven months.

Investigation

Kent Police's Paedophile Online Investigation Team made enquiries following intelligence suggesting indecent images may have been sent in 2019.

Clover was arrested at his home in July 2020 and his mobile phone was seized and analysed.

It showed evidence he had contacted a girl who was 12 at the time, sent her sexual messages and encouraged her to engage in sexual activity.

Separate messages showed him sending similar messages to a girl he believed to be 14.

Supporting victims

His sentence includes a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) designed to prevent any further offending following his release.

Kent Police's investigating officer, Detective Constable Carl Evans, said: 'We are determined to protect children from online sex offenders like Clover, and I am pleased he is now unable to contact young people.

'I urge anyone who believes they or someone they know has been targeted online to report it to the police at the first opportunity. We will work to bring offenders to justice and protect you and others.'

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