Niton man James Fothergill, who attempted to meet what he thought was a 14-year-old boy, unaware they were in fact an undercover Police officer, has admitted his guilt.
36-year-old Fothergill, of Newport Road, admitted a single charge of attempting to meet a child after sexual grooming when he appeared at the Isle of Wight Crown Court earlier this week (Monday).
Prosecutor Tim Devlin told the court that on 9th July this year, Fothergill attempted to meet a 14-year-old ‘boy’ in Matalan car park.
The grown man was, however, unaware that the underage boy was in fact an undercover Police officer.
Fothergill, who was visibly upset in the dock during Monday’s hearing, was arrested and put before Magistrates later that same week.
Since his initial appearance, delays with the Legal Aid system have seen the case delayed on multiple occasions.
Having pleaded guilty to the charge, James Fothergill will appear before a Judge for sentencing on 30th January 2026. He has been granted unconditional bail until that hearing.
As a result of his guilty plea, Fothergill has been made subject to interim Police notification requirements as a sex offender.
“Unconditional” meaning he is still allowed allowed to keep devices used for the Internet? Hmm.
not making light of the alledged (admitted) offence,.. but
from “LexisNexis Corporate Crime expert” – re: ‘Entrapment’
“There is no defence of entrapment in English law but it is considered to be an abuse of the process of the court for state agents to lure a person into committing illegal acts and then seek to prosecute them for doing so.”
The House of Lords said that, “although entrapment is not a substantive defence in English law, where an accused can show entrapment, the court may stay the proceedings as an abuse of its process or exclude evidence.”