'Strange' Wakefield paedophile claimed he knew 12-year-old girl's online profile was fake

A jury did not believe Clifford Hodge and returned a guilty verdict on three counts of attempting to sexually communicate with a child following a recent trial at Leeds Crown Court. The 59-year-old, who was being held in custody at HMP Leeds, received a suspended sentence this week.

The court heard that Hodge, of Dacre Avenue, Wakefield, had targeted the profile of a supposed girl named ‘Emma’ on the website Fast Flirting, in July of 2020. The account was being run by an undercover police officer purposely trying to catch out predators, and despite telling Hodge that she was just 12, his immediate reaction was to “make overtly-sexual comments”.

It was heard during the trial that over a period of around three weeks he treated her like she was his girlfriend.

Following his arrest he then claimed he knew it was a fake account and was going along with it.

Limited mitigation could be offered by his barrister, Ian Hudson, because he continued to deny the offences. Hodge had been previously barred from working with children in 2010 because of a physical abuse offence he committed against a youngster. He was also jailed for 12 months on that occasion.

Judge Rodney Jameson KC gave Hodge a two-year jail community for this latest offending. He was also given 55 rehabilitation days, ordered to complete an accredited sexual offending programme and put on the sex offender register for five years.

He was also given a five-year sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) to limit his internet use, prevent him from deleting his internet history and gives police officers powers to attend Hodge’s home address and check his internet devices.

Judge Jameson said: “You are a very strange man, and you may have a high IQ but your emotional intelligence is akin to that of a child. I regard you as a rather pathetic figure.”

Having spent around six months on remand, Judge Jameson said imposing the maximum jail sentence would mean he would be free in just a few months because of time already served, so opted to give him the community order, so he could be enrolled on the sex offender programme.