Blackhall Colliery man collaborated in vile chats with American paedophile who abused his own child and then sent him images of it

A Blackhall Colliery man has been jailed after he collaborated with an American man who was abusing his own child, sharing with him images of it as part of a paedophile network.

Lee Mole was having illegal sex chats with a man in the USA over a messaging app, and incited him to sexually abuse their own child. The man would then send Mole and other paedophiles photographs of the abuse as part of a network.

Mole, 53, who also shared a category A indecent image, was caught after the chats caught the attention of the United States Department of Homeland Security. Mole was also found in possession of category A, B and C indecent images.

On Thursday, Mole, of Blackhall Colliery, County Durham appeared at Durham Crown Court to be sentenced for three counts of making indecent images and one count of distributing an indecent image. He had pleaded guilty to the offences.

The court heard that the offences were committed on September 8, while Mole was either under investigation or on police bail as his electronic devices were being reviewed. He was also serving a suspended prison sentence for making indecent images.

Annelise Haugstad, prosecuting, said Mole used the Kik messenger app to chat with an American offender who was sexually abusing his own child. The pair shared sickening abuse images and eventually attracted the attention of Homeland Security. Mole was later arrested.

Judge Jo Kidd said: “These offences took place when you had been released under investigation or bail for a review of your electronic devices from January 2023. They were subsequently found to contain numerous indecent images of children.

“Pending sentence in respect of that, you engaged in chats with a man in the U.S. on Kik, no doubt as a platform, it provides an easy way of contacting other paedophiles. You gained the trust of the man who was raping his own child in the U.S…it amounts to you inciting the abuse of his own child. You sought to obtain images of him doing that.”

The judge added: “It is difficult to think of a more disgusting and serious example of these offences…you are an entrenched paedophile, in my view.”

Vic Laffey, defending, said Mole had been working well with probation and had been “making progress” on his order. He added that Mole is in ill-health and suffers from COPD and asthma and uses a nebuliser six times a day.

Mole was jailed for two years and eight months and will be on the sex offenders register indefinitely. He was also made subject of an indefinite sexual harm prevention order.