Northampton man jailed after 'attempting to make a child look at an inappropriate live image of himself'

A Northampton man has been jailed after he ‘attempted to make a child look at an inappropriate live image of himself’.

Ross Barker, previously of Foxglove Close, appeared at Northampton Crown Court on January 12 after pleading guilty to one count of being an offender 18 or over attempting to cause a child 13-15 to watch/look at an image of sexual activity, one count of breaching his Sexual Harm Prevention Order and two counts of failing to comply with the Sexual Offenders Register.

In July last year, the 47-year-old engaged in an online conversation with someone he believed was a father who was sexually active with a 13-year-old boy.

In the exchange of private messages, Barker expressed his interest in meeting the unknown man with the view of engaging in sexual activity with him, and together, sexually abusing the teenager.

Believing the man would facilitate the abuse of the child, Barker explained in detail what he wanted to do when they met and shared a sexually explicit ‘live; image of himself, asking the man to share the image with the boy.

The ‘father’ was actually a police officer working as part of a covert operation to safeguard and protect children from predators. Barker was then arrested, before pleading not guilty in October 2023. However at the start of his trial in November, he changed his pleas to guilty.

Investigating officer, PC Holly Morgan-Humphrey said: “The private conversations Ross Barker had with the police officer were very disturbing and therefore I am really pleased that he has been brought to justice.

“Although thankfully there was not a real child in this case, it does not lessen the seriousness of it at all because Barker fully believed he was talking to someone who would let him sexually abuse a 13-year-old boy.

“I hope this case reassures the public that we are working proactively with our colleagues at EMSOU to continue to keep children in Northamptonshire safe and to bring anyone who threatens that safety to justice.”

Barker was sentenced to six months in prison and ordered to pay a £187 victim surcharge.