Norwich man accused of trying to lure children into sex acts

Mark Ross, 63, is charged with a string of sexual offences including chatting online to what he believed were pre-pubescent girls.

They were in fact decoy accounts set up by adults to catch and hunt down online paedophiles.

Footage of his apparent arrest in 2022 was captured on video and posted online.

Among the 12 offences he is accused of is grooming what he believed was a 13-year-old girl into committing a sex act on herself involving penetration. 

Mark Ross declined to enter pleas at Norwich Magistrates' Court (Image: Newsquest)

Norwich Magistrates’ Court heard he had also attempted to lure another girl into explicit sex chats for his own gratification.  

Sarah Fiddy, prosecuting, said both offences, which carry possible sentences of up to five years in prison, were so serious that they were indictable only and could only be heard at the crown court. 

He is also accused of attempting to incite another underage girl into sexual activity and sexualised communications with two children.

Other offences include possession of indecent images of children, having a prohibited image of someone underage and breaching a sexual harm prevention order. 

All the offences are said to have occurred between October 12 and 27 in 2022.

The 'girls' he is accused of grooming were in fact decoy accounts set up by paedophiles hunters (Image: Facebook)

Ross, of White House Court in Catton Grove, declined to enter pleas to the charges.

His defence solicitor James Burrows said negotiations were under way with prosecutors to try to establish a basis of plea. 

Deputy District Judge Claire Furlong committed all 12 offences to be heard at Norwich Crown Court.

Ross was given unconditional bail until a preliminary hearing on May 16

The court was told he was also subject to sex offender notification requirements including informing police of his names and aliases, changes of address and other personal details.