Mark Ross

Mark Ross, a 65-year-old man from Norwich, appeared at Norwich Crown Court where he pleaded guilty to two counts of breaching a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO). Ross, who is required to register as a sex offender, failed to notify public protection officers within three days of acquiring a new electronic device and also did not disclose that he had created an account on the Telegram messaging application, both in violation of his SHPO conditions.

The court heard that Ross had a prior history of sexual offences, including online communications with individuals he believed to be pre-pubescent girls. These interactions were actually with decoy accounts operated by adults aiming to expose online paedophiles. In 2022, Ross was captured on video during his arrest after attempting to groom what he thought was a 13-year-old girl into performing a penetrative sex act on herself. This footage was posted online and contributed to the charges against him at the time.

During the recent proceedings at Norwich Magistrates' Court, it emerged that Ross had also tried to lure another girl into explicit sex chats for his personal gratification. Judge Anthony Bate, presiding at Norwich Crown Court, sentenced Ross to eight months' imprisonment but suspended the sentence for 18 months. The suspension came with additional requirements, including completing rehabilitation activity days and 300 hours of unpaid work.

The case was reported by the Eastern Daily Press, with crime correspondent Simon Parkin covering the details from the court hearings. Ross resides at White House Court in Catton Grove, Norwich, and the breaches were handled under the jurisdiction of Norfolk Constabulary.