Anderson Ishiekwene, a 25-year-old Nigerian student in the United Kingdom, has been sentenced to three years in prison after being convicted of attempting to meet a child following online sexual grooming, with the court indicating he is likely to face deportation after completing his sentence.
Ishiekwene was arrested in Washington, England, after arranging to meet a person he believed was a 14-year-old girl but who was actually a decoy operated by an online paedophile hunter group.
Also read: UK appeal court jails two teenagers in rape case
According to reports, including details from the BBC, Ishiekwene arrived in the UK from Nigeria on a student visa in August 2025 and settled in Sunderland.
Prosecutors told Newcastle Crown Court that he began communicating with the online profile on Facebook on 2 January before continuing conversations through WhatsApp.
The court heard that over an eight-day period, Ishiekwene exchanged more than 300 pages of messages with the decoy despite being repeatedly informed that the person he believed he was communicating with was 14 years old.
Prosecutors said the conversations included questions about the supposed teenager’s school, uniform and body, requests for explicit photographs, and the sending of an image of his naked groin. He was also accused of repeatedly asking the person to delete messages.
The court heard that Ishiekwene and the decoy later agreed to meet at the Galleries shopping centre in Washington on 10 January, where police arrested him after members of the paedophile hunter group confronted him.
Although Ishiekwene denied travelling to meet a child for sexual purposes, a jury found him guilty following a three-day trial.
He had previously admitted attempting to engage in sexual communications with a child.
Sentencing him, Judge Robert Spragg said the intended sexual activity was a “precursor” to full sexual intercourse on a later occasion.
The judge also noted that probation assessments indicated there was “little doubt” Ishiekwene was attracted to children.
The court ordered Ishiekwene to sign the sex offenders register and comply indefinitely with a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
The judge added that he was likely to face automatic deportation from the UK after serving his prison sentence.
The case highlights ongoing concerns around online child protection and the role of law enforcement and specialist groups in identifying and preventing offences involving the exploitation of minors.
Also read: UK appeal court jails two teenagers in rape case
UK authorities continue to warn internet users about the risks of online grooming, while courts have maintained strict penalties for offences involving attempts to arrange sexual contact with children.
Quadri Olaitan is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering news, public affairs, and human-interest stories.
