In 2019, the Offender Database recorded that Scott Coombes, then 29, of Peters Park Lane, Barne Barton, Plymouth, Devon, was jailed after being caught by online paedophile hunters on three separate occasions. On appearing at Exeter Crown Court for sentencing, the registered sex offender was handed a custodial term for grooming both decoys and a real child. The court reported that Coombes had been living in Torbay, Devon, when he attempted to arrange meetings for sexual activity with individuals he believed were underage girls.
The investigation established that Coombes was snared by the Devon-based group UK Database, who used decoy profiles named Kate, Emma, and Sarah-Jane. Devon and Cornwall Police reported that the group arranged a meeting at Paignton train station, Devon, where Coombes was chased for several minutes before being apprehended by the volunteers. The prosecution reported that during the subsequent police search of his devices, officers discovered that Coombes had also been grooming a real schoolgirl for sex, leading to immediate safeguarding interventions.
Judicial Findings and Investigative Detail
The court reported that Coombes was already a registered sex offender with a history of posing as a teenage girl to exchange indecent images. Exeter Crown Court heard that the defendant had previously received a suspended sentence in 2013 but had failed to remediate his behaviour. The prosecution reported that in July and August 2018, Coombes exchanged highly sexualized messages and indecent images with the decoys, expressing a clear intent to engage in physical sexual activity in Paignton, Devon.
The judge noted that Coombes posed a significant risk to the public, evidenced by his breach of a Sexual Offending Prevention Order (SOPO) and his targeting of a real child. For his actions in Plymouth, Torbay, and Paignton, Devon, the defendant was jailed for two years and four months. The judge noted that the discovery of the real victim following the “UK Database” sting highlighted the dangerous reality of Coombes’ persistent online predatory conduct.
Sentence and Statutory Requirements
For his crimes in England, Scott Coombes was handed:
- Custodial Sentence: Two years and four months in prison.
- Sex Offenders Register: Notification requirements are in effect for life.
- Judicial Oversight: Sentenced at Exeter Crown Court following a series of sting operations.
- Criminal Record: Convicted of communication and attempted communication with a child, and breaching a SOPO.
Monitoring and Public Protection
Coombes is managed under Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) by Devon and Cornwall Police and the prison estate. Due to the “persistent and predatory” nature of his online activity in Plymouth and Torbay, Devon, his management is subject to the highest level of oversight by the Public Protection Unit.
As a member of the Sex Offenders Register, Coombes must comply with notification requirements regarding his identity and residence in Peters Park Lane, Barne Barton, for the remainder of his life. Authorities state that his history of breaching court orders and his ability to manipulate digital platforms necessitate permanent and stringent monitoring of his internet access. Any breach of his registration conditions or further attempts to contact minors in Devon or elsewhere will result in immediate arrest and a return to the court system.
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