Man who tried to engage in sexual communications with child caught in undercover police sting

A MAN has been convicted of trying to engage in sexual communications with a child.

Jacob Kolster, 63, was staying at an address in Chelsea, west London, when he communicated with "who he believed was a 13-year-old girl" over several weeks between April 5 and June 22 2022.

But, it was actually an undercover police officer.

He appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court on June 25 2022 and was charged with four offences that between those dates he:

*Tried to arrange sexual activity with the child in London;

*Tried to cause a child aged 13 to look at an image of a person engaging in sexual activity;

*Graphically described sex acts with the child over social media;

*Tried to incite the girl to carry out a sex act on her self;

Kolster, who was visiting the UK from overseas, pleaded not guilty to all four charges and the case was adjourned to a hearing at Isleworth Crown Court.

At a hearing at the crown court on September 21 2022, Kolster admitted to one count of attempting to engage in sexual communications with a child.

A charge of attempting to cause a child to look at an image of sexual activity was left to lie on file.

The two other charges were withdrawn.

He was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment suspended for 24 months.

He was also made to sign the Sex Offenders Register 10 years and placed under a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for 5 years.

He was also made to pay prosecution costs of £1,000 with a £156 victim surcharge and a phone containing indecent images was forfeited.

A CPS spokesperson said: 'We keep our cases under continuous review. The charges were all relating to one instance of communication with an undercover officer posing as a child so it would not have been appropriate to carry forward with four charges relating to one matter."