Norman Bowen-Jones, a 45-year-old man with a history of violent sexual offences, was recently jailed for attempting to engage in sexual activity with underage girls through online grooming. Previously convicted for the brutal murder of a pregnant woman in a sexually motivated attack in 1996, Bowen-Jones was exposed by the paedophile hunter group Predator Exposure while trying to meet a decoy posing as a 14-year-old girl.
The incident unfolded in 2023 when Bowen-Jones, living on Springwell View in Holbeck, Leeds, began contacting child decoy profiles operated by Predator Exposure. In July 2023, he messaged the first profile, undeterred upon learning the 'girl' was just 14 years old. He quickly moved the conversation to WhatsApp, where he sent pictures of his penis and requested photos in return. Bowen-Jones suggested they meet and travelled to the Royal Armouries in Leeds, where he was confronted by the hunter group, who livestreamed the encounter online. He had also contacted other decoy profiles and proposed meetings at Leeds Railway Station, though he did not follow through on that occasion.
Appearing at Leeds Crown Court via video link from HMP Leeds on 17 May 2024, Bowen-Jones admitted to a series of serious offences, including attempting to cause or incite a child to engage in sexual activity, four counts of attempting sexual communication with a child, arranging or facilitating the commission of a child sex offence, two offences of attempting to cause a child to engage in sexual activity, attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming, and two counts of making indecent photos of children. Prosecutor Gareth Henderson-Moore detailed the explicit nature of the communications and Bowen-Jones's persistent efforts to arrange meetings.
In mitigation, defence barrister Andrew Stranex described Bowen-Jones as struggling to adjust to life after his long imprisonment, likening him to a 'fish out of water' in a changed world and unfamiliar city. He noted that Bowen-Jones had used the internet to make contact with people but accepted his actions were wrong. Recorder Alex Menary acknowledged the difficulties of readjustment after such extended time behind bars but emphasised the severity of the offences. Bowen-Jones was sentenced to 32 months' imprisonment, with his existing life licence remaining in place, allowing for potential recall to prison post-release. He was also issued a lifelong sexual harm prevention order to restrict his internet use and placed on the sex offenders' register for life.
Bowen-Jones's prior conviction stems from 1996, when, at age 17, he and his friend Timothy Dunn, then 15, murdered 29-year-old Lesley Fox in her Darlington bedsit. The pair had fantasised about having sex with her before killing her and carried out the plan on 12 October 1996. Fox, who was four months pregnant, endured a prolonged and violent sexual assault before being strangled with a piece of rope by Bowen-Jones. The assault continued after her death, and her body was not discovered for five days, requiring identification via dental records. Sentenced in November 1997 to life imprisonment with a minimum of 13 years—later reduced to 12 for Bowen-Jones—the judge deemed them 'very dangerous'. A police advisor at the time described Bowen-Jones as 'cold, calculating and ruthless', warning he might kill again if released.
This case highlights the ongoing risks posed by released sex offenders, as reported by the Yorkshire Evening Post on 17 May 2024, based on court proceedings at Leeds Crown Court.