In 2018, the Offender Database recorded that 32-year-old Neil Skelton was jailed for 30 months after a series of predatory offences that occurred within hours of his release on bail. Skelton—then of Gilberdyke and now of Newport Road, North Cave, East Yorkshire—was sentenced at Hull Crown Court following his admission to attempting to meet a girl under 16 for sexual purposes and two counts of sexual assault. It was reported that the investigation began in Leyland, Lancashire, where Skelton was snared in an online sting operation.
The investigation established that Skelton targeted a profile he believed to be a 13-year-old girl named Jenna Worthington. Hull Crown Court heard that Skelton engaged in explicit sexual conversations, asking for indecent pictures and instructing the child to delete messages to avoid detection. The prosecution reported that Skelton arranged to meet the girl in a park in Leyland on 1 May 2018, telling her not to wear underwear; however, his vehicle was blocked by the group Catching Online Predators, who detained him until police arrived.
Judicial Findings and Investigative Detail
The court reported that a poor decision by a judge in Preston allowed Skelton to be released on bail despite the severity of the grooming evidence. Hull Crown Court heard that on the very day of his release, while walking through a park on his way home to Gilberdyke, Skelton approached a group of teenagers. The investigation established that he lay down between two teenage girls and sexually assaulted both of them, attempting to kiss them before one victim threatened to call the police and labelled him a paedophile.
Judge Mark Bury presided over the sentencing, describing Skelton’s behaviour as totally unacceptable and noting the failure of the initial bail assessment. For his actions in Leyland, Lancashire, and Gilberdyke, East Yorkshire, Skelton was jailed for 30 months. The judge noted that while the previous judge had been told the grooming was a one-off by a family man in work, Skelton’s immediate reoffending proved he was a significant danger to young women.
Status and Statutory Requirements
For the records reported in East Yorkshire and Lancashire, the status of Neil Skelton as of April 6, 2026, was as follows:
- Custodial Status: RELEASED (Served 30-month term; sentenced 2018; released circa 2020).
- Sex Offenders Register: Notification requirements are active until 2028 (10-year term).
- SHPO Status: Sexual Harm Prevention Order active until 2028.
- DBS Status: Placed on the Barring List (Indefinite ban on working with children).
- Legal Status: CONVICTED (Attempting to meet a child for sex; Sexual assault; 3 counts total).
- Judicial Oversight: Sentenced at Hull Crown Court; investigated by Lancashire Constabulary and Humberside Police.
- Criminal Record: Grooming of a 13-year-old decoy; Instruction to delete evidence; Sexual assault of two teens while on bail.
- Origin: Newport Road, North Cave (Current); formerly Gilberdyke, East Yorkshire.
Monitoring and Public Protection
Skelton is managed as a high-risk registered sex offender within the North Cave area following his release from prison. Due to the nature of his conduct—specifically his immediate transition from a grooming arrest to physical sexual assault—his management is a critical priority for the Humberside Police Public Protection Unit. Authorities state that his history of reoffending within hours of a court appearance demonstrates a total disregard for the law and a persistent predatory drive.
As a registered sex offender, the then 32-year-old’s details are permanently logged on the national police database until 2028. Authorities state that his 10-year SHPO includes the most stringent restrictions on his presence in public parks and his use of social media platforms to contact minors. Any failure to notify police of his movements in North Cave, any unauthorized proximity to areas where children congregate, or any breach of his digital monitoring will result in immediate arrest to ensure the ongoing safety of the public from his demonstrated pattern of immediate reoffending.
QUESTION – Given that the offender committed further sexual assaults on the very day he was granted bail for a grooming offence, do you believe that “Mandatory Remand” should be legally required for any individual caught in a physical meeting sting?
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