Man jailed after intending to sexually abuse girl under 13 in Swindon

A man has been jailed for 12 years after he admitted travelling with the intention of sexually abusing a girl under the age of 13.

Mark Bellas, 54, was met and arrested by officers from the South West Regional Organised Crime Unit (SWROCU) in Swindon, Wiltshire, after he made the journey from his home address in Hardball Gardens in Dunstable, Bedfordshire, in October.

At the time of his arrest, he was on bail after previously being arrested on suspicion of distributing indecent images of children, officers said.

He was also handed a five-year extended licence, an indefinite sexual harm prevention order and added to the Sex Offenders’ Register indefinitely, at Swindon Crown Court on Friday.

He pleaded guilty to two counts of arranging or facilitating the commission of a child sex offence, attempting to cause or incite the sexual exploitation of a child and five counts of distributing indecent images of children.

Bellas had been remanded into custody since last year, police said.

SWROCU worked alongside the Metropolitan Police and the Eastern Region Special Operations Unit to bring Bellas to justice.

Det Insp Dave Wells, from SWROCU, said: “Due to the strength of the evidence gathered by the police, Bellas had no option but to plead guilty.

“He is a dangerous individual who preys upon children to fulfil his sexual desires, and I welcome the sentence handed down to him.”