A man has been sentenced to more than two years in prison for sexual offences involving children online.
Michael Dyos, of College Road, Southwater, West Sussex was jailed for a total of two years and six months on Monday following a hearing at Lewes Crown Court.
The 59-year-old pleaded guilty to one count of arranging/facilitating the offence of causing/inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and two counts of breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
On 8 July last year, Dyos drove from Southwater, near Horsham, to Littlehampton to meet with a person who he thought was a 13-year-old child, having previously been involved in an online chat of a sexual nature with this person.
When he arrived in Littlehampton he was met by police officers and arrested. He was then charged on 9 July.
Dyos’s Sexual Harm Prevention Order, which was in place before the commission of these offences, remains in place until April 2031.
Detective Constable Justin Marsden, of SEROCU, said: “Dyos is a predatory sex offender, who travelled to Littlehampton with the specific intention of meeting up with a child.
“Thanks to the efforts of our team, he will now be spending time in prison, where he will no longer be a threat to children.”
If you are concerned about your thoughts or behaviour towards children or those of someone else, please seek help and support via the Stop it Now! confidential helpline on 0808 1000 900. Further support is available from the Lucy Faithfull Foundation.
If offences have been committed, please report this to your local police force by calling the non-emergency number 101 or 999 in an emergency.
