Phillip Michael Lee

Phillip Michael Lee, a 52-year-old man from Wimborne Minster in Dorset, was sentenced to one year and two months in prison after admitting to attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child. The case came to light following an operation involving an undercover police officer who posed as 'Alice' and her fictitious 11-year-old daughter 'Mia'.

Between July 2021 and August 2021, Lee unknowingly initiated conversations with the undercover officer. According to Court of Appeal documents, Lee told Alice that he liked mothers and daughters and claimed he had previously sexually abused an eight-year-old girl. After nearly a week of messaging Alice, Lee began communicating directly with the account pretending to be Mia. He expressed a desire to meet her and have sex while her mother was present.

During the exchanges, a fake image of a child was sent to Lee, who responded by sending an indecent picture of his genitals. The conversations progressed to discussions about arranging a meeting, but Lee grew suspicious, stating he was concerned that 'men would be waiting for him instead'. He was arrested at his home in September 2021.

At the Court of Appeal, Lee, represented by Nate Lara, argued that the sentence was 'manifestly excessive' and that the judge erred by not suspending it. Lara highlighted Lee's mental health difficulties and a 'disassociate voice' noted in the pre-sentence report, suggesting a realistic prospect of rehabilitation. However, the appeal judge rejected these arguments, noting that a psychiatrist's report confirmed Lee understood his actions were wrong and their consequences. The judge concluded there was insufficient personal mitigation to warrant a reduced or suspended sentence.

The appeal judge stated: 'In such circumstances, the judge, we conclude, was entirely entitled to reach the conclusion that he did and so to decide that it was not appropriate in the applicant's case to suspend.' Consequently, Lee's original sentence of one year and two months was upheld, along with a 10-year sexual harm prevention order. The case was reported by the Dorset Echo, drawing on Court of Appeal documents.