MAN USED SNAPCHAT TO ARRANGE TO HAVE SEX WITH CHILD
A PAEDOPHILE who arranged to have sex with a young girl and sent her naked pictures of himself has been jailed.Christopher Thomas, of Bawdsey Avenue, Malvern, appeared at Worcester Crown Court sitting at Redditch on October 27.
At an earlier court appearance, the 56-year-old had pleaded guilty to arranging to meet a child to have sex with her between September 4 and 24 in 2023.
Thomas also admitted trying to incite a 13-year-old girl to engage in sexual activity, namely sex and kissing, between the same dates.
Thomas also pleaded guilty to engaging in sexual communication with a child, asking her to kiss and have sex while sending naked pictures of himself for his own sexual gratification between the same dates as the other offences.
Prosecutor Andrew Wilkins told the court that Thomas and the 13-year-old girl had been chatting on SnapChat.
He said he will have to control himself.
He encouraged her to send him some images of herself.
The court heard he sent her a picture of his penis and face and she sent pictures of herself.
He sent images of himself, including his face, which made identification easy.
He suggested driving to (a city) for sex and kissing.
The matter came to an end when the child's mother discovered the messages and police were contacted.
Judge Jonathan Salmon jailed Thomas for three years and said that the victim was a real child who must be protected.
"These secret proclivities illustrate a warped mind." Thomas will have to sign on the sex offenders' register for life and will also be subject to a life-long Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
