Sex offender sent messages to girl, 13, from prison

A convicted sex offender sent "highly sexualised" messages to a 13-year-old girl from an open prison in Lincolnshire, a court has heard.

Martin Mills, 37, sent the messages after sneaking a mobile phone into North Sea Camp, a Category D prison near Boston, Lincoln Crown Court was told.

Mills had previously pleaded guilty to four charges dating back to 2024 when he appeared at Boston Magistrates' Court via videolink from HMP Whatton, Nottinghamshire, in June.

Mills, who had previously been convicted of the rape of a child under the age of 13, left his latest victim needing professional help following her ordeal. He is due to be sentenced on 2 October.

The court heard that the phone, which was discovered by a fellow prisoner, contained messages on a teen chat app, including one which read: "Do you love me?"

The prosecution said Mills was engaging in a chat of a highly sexualised nature with the 13-year-old, and he had been made aware of her age.

Forty-seven indecent images were found on the phone.

A statement from the victim's mother said her daughter had self-harmed and required counselling after the conversations, which she said had "lured her to very dark places" and had damaged her confidence.

Mills admitted engaging in sexual communications with a child, making indecent photographs of a child and possessing a mobile phone in prison.

He also pleaded guilty to breaching a sexual harm prevention order, imposed by Leicester Crown Court in 2011, by communicating with a child.

Recorder Adrian Reynolds adjourned the case and requested a report to assess the defendant's prison history and risk to the public.

The judge told the court he did not have sufficient information about Mills's previous convictions or an up-to-date assessment of the risk he posed.

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