Relentless Groomer Busted
A twisted sex offender who groomed kids on Snapchat and paid them for indecent images has finally been locked up. Ian Della-Rocca, 39, was caught in November 2024 after trying to chat sexually with who he thought was a 14-year-old girl online.
But it wasn’t a teen — it was an undercover police officer. The trap was sprung.
Horrific Evidence Found on His Phone
After arresting Della-Rocca, cops discovered he’d been talking to real children on Snapchat since January 2023. The deviant targeted at least three teenage girls across the UK, paying them for disgusting pictures and videos. In total, almost 1,200 indecent images of children were found on his phone.
In one shocking incident, Della-Rocca even met a 15-year-old girl and took her to school. He was living in North Baddesley when these crimes took place.
Serious Charges and Long Sentence
At Southampton Crown Court, Della-Rocca admitted to a slew of offences including:
- Possession of indecent images of children (3 counts)
- Attempting sexual communication with a child
- Possession and distribution of prohibited images
- Paying for the sexual services of children aged 13 to 15 (3 counts)
- Attempting to meet a child under 16 following grooming
- Multiple counts of causing and inciting children to engage in sexual activity
He was sentenced to 6 years and 8 months behind bars, given a lifelong spot on the Sex Offenders Register, and slapped with a 15-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
Police Praise Victims’ Bravery
“The relentlessness of Della-Rocca’s offending is really shocking. He persistently targeted young girls online, going as far as to pay them to provide him with indecent images,” said PC Ollie Green from the Internet Child Abuse Team (ICAT). “Della-Rocca groomed and exploited these children for his own perverse gratification, and it is clear he poses a serious risk to children. “The girls have been incredibly brave in speaking to police about Della-Rocca’s behaviour, and it is because of them that we were able to secure so many criminal charges against him. “I also want to extend my thanks to policing colleagues across the UK for their efforts in helping bring this man to justice.”
