Rotherham man jailed for child sex offences after undercover investigation
The 52 year old was caught after speaking to a decoy profile - which was actually being run by a police officer
Last updated 12th Jun 2026
A Rotherham man has been jailed for child sex offences after he was caught by an undercover officer.
Anthony Barker, 52, of Grove Road, thought he was speaking to an accomplice when he planned to sexually assault a young girl, but was actually communicating with an undercover officer using a decoy account.
Barker believed his would-be victim was nine years old - he was arrested on suspicion of sexual offences on January 22.
Following a search of his home and examination of his mobile phone, he was charged with arranging to commit an offence of causing or inciting a child under 13 to engage in sexual activity, possession of an indecent image of a child and making indecent images of children.
He will now serve a seven year prison term and has been handed a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
Investigations Officer Hannah Goodwin of South Yorkshire Police said: “Barker’s offending is incredibly disturbing, and through collaborative working with the ROCU we gathered crucial evidence that helped to see him jailed.
“The Internet Sex Offences Team worked hard to build a case against Barker, and despite him pleading not guilty, his disgusting digital footprint spoke for itself and he was found guilty.
“We remain committed to protecting young people online and we will continue our work to bring online predators to justice before they can put their sick plans into action.”