A 24-year-old man from HMP Birmingham has been sentenced to six years in prison for attempting to arrange the rape of a child under 13 via Snapchat.
Marcus Harris was prosecuted after engaging in a series of messages with an undercover police officer posing as a mother of two young children. Over a month-long period, the officer, using the alias ‘Ellie’, received disturbing messages from Harris about children’s underwear, rape, and was even sent a video of him masturbating.
Throughout his sentencing at Birmingham Crown Court earlier this month, Harris sat with his head bowed and did not look up once. He was seen wiping tears from his face during the hearing.
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Prosecutor Darron Whitehead explained that on 13 January 2026, an account linked to Harris added ‘Ellie’ on Snapchat. Harris, using the username ‘dirtylad21’, engaged in conversation and indicated an inappropriate sexual interest in children, including referencing an age range starting from newborns.
Harris, who denied having a sexual interest in children, pleaded guilty to attempting to arrange or facilitate the rape of a child under 13, and to sending an indecent image.
His defence barrister, Ashanti-Jade Walton, noted his mental health issues and immaturity, stating he has deficits in consequential thinking. She emphasised the relatively short period of offending and that only one message explicitly referenced the rape of a child.
Sentencing, Judge Drew described the offence as ‘extremely serious,’ highlighting Harris’s fixation on contacting someone he believed to be the mother of young children with the intention of meeting and sexually abusing them. The judge noted the aggravating factor of Harris sending a masturbatory video and expressed grave concern at the nature of the crime.
Harris’s offending reflects the judiciary’s commitment to严厉打击此类罪行，确保儿童保护。