Mark Hemus

Mark Hemus, a 37-year-old IT engineer from Portishead, North Somerset, was involved in a disturbing plot to sexually abuse two young girls, aged eight and 11. Hemus, who had prior convictions for indecent images of children in 2005 and 2020, was subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) that prohibited him from using false IP addresses, names, or aliases online. Despite this, he engaged in explicit online discussions with other paedophiles on various chat platforms, using a pseudonym to express his sexual interest in children.

In the lead-up to the incident, Hemus messaged an online contact who claimed to have access to the two girls. Their conversations detailed intimate and graphic plans for sexual acts to be carried out on the children. They arranged to meet at the Premier Inn Hotel at Heathrow Terminal 4 on 28 October 2023. Hemus booked a room at the hotel and arrived with a rucksack containing Fruit Shoot drinks, sweets, and toys intended as enticements for the girls.

National Crime Agency (NCA) officers, aware of the planned meeting, arrested Hemus in the hotel foyer immediately after he checked in. A search of his room revealed the incriminating items in the rucksack. During his interview, Hemus initially claimed he had travelled to London for a medical appointment that was cancelled, but he later admitted his true intention was to carry out the sexual abuse, though he insisted he was too scared to proceed.

Hemus was charged with one count of arranging or facilitating the commission of sexual assault of a child, one count of breaching his SHPO, and one count of possessing prohibited images of children. He pleaded guilty at Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court on 31 October 2023. On 20 October 2024, at Isleworth Crown Court, he was sentenced to a total of four years: two years in custody and two years on licence.

NCA senior manager Adam Priestley commented on the case, stating: “Hemus’s online chats and the fact he travelled to the hotel showed a clear intention to sexually abuse young girls. He is a persistent sexual offender who poses a real threat to children, so this investigation was vital in ensuring he is unable to carry out his intended crimes. Disrupting individuals like Hemus is a priority for the NCA and we will continue to do everything we can to protect children from harm.” The case was reported by the North Somerset Times, drawing on information from the National Crime Agency.