Convicted Gainsborough sex offender admits sexual grooming charge

John Armitage admitted a charge of attempting to meet a child following sexual grooming together with a further offence of attempting to cause or incite a child to engage in sexual activity with a child. Both charges relate to the period between 12 March and 14 April last year.

Armitage also pleaded guilty at Lincoln Crown Court to three charges of making a total of 958 indecent photographs of a child between September 2015 and April 2018. The images include 164 assessed as being in the most serious category. He further admitted further charges of possession of a prohibited image of a child and possession of cannabis.

The court was told that he had a previous conviction in 2008 when he was given a four year sentence for sexual assault charges relating to two girls under the age of 13. He also has two convictions for failing to comply with the sex offender registration notification requirements and a further conviction for outraging public decency.

Armitage, 40, of Warren Close, was remanded in custody for the preparation of a pre-sentence report. He will return to court for sentence on March 8.

In adjourning the case Judge Simon Hirst told him: "I would like a pre-sentence report. The purpose of the report is to assist me in looking at the risk from you because I am concerned about you.

"Please do not think the fact that I am asking for a pre-sentence report means I am not going to lock you up. It is not about that. It is to assist me with the length of sentence."