Wakefield pervert who wanted to 'own a mother and daughter' stung by undercover police
A paedophile who discussed arranging a sexual encounter with a mum and her young daughter has avoided immediate custody.
Mark Couser targeted the woman on a masochistic dating website, but was in fact talking to an undercover officer.
The 56-year-old was handed a suspended sentence at Leeds Crown Court after he admitted causing or inciting the sexual exploitation of a child.
Communication began in September 2023, with the officer telling Couser she had an eight-year-old daughter.
He told the officer that he wanted to meet face-to-face with the pair, telling her he wanted to “own a mother and daughter”.
However, he did not attend her home address as planned after becoming “wary”, the court heard.
Couser, of Carlton Close, Normanton, requested an indent image of the daughter to convince him it was genuine. He was arrested on October 9, 2023 and later told police he knew he was being set up.
The court heard that he had a previous convictions, including for blackmail in 2010 when he sent indecent images of children to an autistic woman then threatened to expose her as a paedophile. He was jailed for three years as a result.
Mitigating for his latest offending, Mark Foley said it was clear Couser had an interest in internet sites on which to “engage with others about sexual content”.
He said that Couser claimed he never intended to act out was he was discussing.
Mr Foley added: “He accepts he did not know if that child was real or not. His guilty plea is his strongest mitigation.”
He said Couser had a weight problem that left him virtually housebound and that he spent most of his life in bed.
Judge Richard Mansell KC gave him a nine-month jail sentence, suspended for two years.
He was also given 25 rehabilitation days with probation, put on the sex offender register for 10 years and given a 10-year sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) to curb his internet use.