An Essex man who travelled to Chippenham with the intention of sexually abusing a young girl has been sentenced to four-and-a-half years in prison.

Pawel Suszczynski, 28, formerly of Stirling Close, Rainham, Essex, pleaded guilty in December to arranging or facilitating commission of a child sex offence and distributing indecent photographs of children and was sentenced at Salisbury Crown Court yesterday afternoon (19 January).

Between 25 August and 20 September last year, Suszczynski communicated online with someone he thought was the mother of a young girl.

He outlined in graphic and disturbing detail what his intentions were before driving 145 miles from his home to Chippenham where he believed he was meeting the girl and her mother.

Instead he was met by officers from the South West Regional Organised Crime Unit (SW ROCU) and Wiltshire Police, arrested, and has been remanded in custody since.

During this investigation, there was never a real life victim and no children were ever in any danger.

Child Internet Exploitation Officer Charlotte Mason of Wiltshire Police said: “We are dedicated to preventing those intent on causing harm to vulnerable children within our communities.

“We continue to work closely with the South West Regional Organised Crime Unit to identify and investigate people like Suszczynski and ensure we bring them to court.

“Sentences like this hopefully alert people to the risk and threat there is on the internet and we’d urge parents and guardians to ensure any internet use by children is monitored closely.

“We also hope this serves as a warning to those causing harm to children that we will find you and you will be prosecuted.”

Detective Inspector David Wells from the SW ROCU said: “Suszczynski’s intentions were highly disturbing, attempting to groom a woman online in order to get access to her daughter for his own sexual interests.

“Thankfully, due to the expertise of our team in identifying him and the threat he posed, together with the diligent investigation by colleagues at Wiltshire Police, no child was harmed and he has been prevented from carrying out his depraved intentions.

“This is vital work, identifying offenders who use the internet to directly groom children, share indecent images of children, and, as in this case, attempt to arrange access to children to abuse.  Law enforcement agencies are across the internet determined to ensure they don’t succeed.  It is vital parents and children themselves take steps to protect against the threat.”

During the sentencing hearing, Suszczynski was placed on the Sex Offenders Register for life and given a lifetime Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO).

The NSPCC website has clear and extensive advice for parents and carers, children and young people, and professionals.

If you are worried about something that has happened to your child online, report it to CEOP.

If you have concerns about your own use of the internet or inappropriate thoughts or behaviour about children, or you are worried about how someone you know behaves, then contact the Lucy Faithfull Foundation.