Scott Hemingway

Scott Hemingway, a 39-year-old registered sex offender with no fixed address, has been sentenced to 13 years in prison after engaging in explicit communications with decoys posing as underage girls. The offences occurred in February and March 2025, just months after his release from a previous prison term for a similar crime.

Hemingway, who had been convicted in December 2021 for a comparable sexual offence, was released from prison only four months prior to these new incidents. Despite being subject to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order, he initiated contact and sent explicit messages to two profiles he believed belonged to girls aged 14 and 12. Unbeknownst to him, these were operated by an undercover police officer as part of an operation targeting high-risk individuals.

The explicit nature of the messages led to Hemingway being charged with several serious offences, including attempting to cause or incite a girl under 13 to engage in sexual activity, attempting to cause or incite a girl aged 13 to 15 to engage in sexual activity involving penetration by an offender over 18, two counts of arranging or facilitating the commission of a child sex offence, two counts of an adult attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, failing to comply with sex offender register notification requirements, and breaching his Sexual Harm Prevention Order.

• Attempting to cause/incite a girl under 13 to engage in sexual activity
• Attempting to cause/incite a girl 13 to 15 to engage in sexual activity - offender 18 or over - penetration
• Arranging/facilitating the commission of a child sex offence (x2)
• Adult attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child (x2)
• Sex offenders register - failing to comply with notification of a change
• Breach of Sexual Harm Prevention Order

On 26 September 2025, Hemingway appeared at Derby Crown Court, where he admitted all charges. He was sentenced to 13 years' imprisonment, received an indefinite Sexual Harm Prevention Order, and was fined an unspecified amount. The court proceedings were reported by the Derbyshire Times, highlighting the rapid reoffending by Hemingway despite recent incarceration.

Detective Sergeant Richard Foster of Derbyshire Constabulary commented on the case, stating: “Scott Hemingway is a dangerous criminal who, despite already being caught and only just being released from prison, was unable to stop offending. We actively target high risk individuals like Hemingway, and we will continue to do so to keep our communities safe.” This operation underscores ongoing police efforts to protect children from sexual exploitation through proactive undercover work.