DAD TOOK CONTROL OF 13-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER'S PHONE TO TRAP SEX OFFENDER
A shocked dad took over his 13-year-old daughter's phone and snared a man who sent her obscene messages.When her father seized the phone, he began to send messages and "received inappropriate responses and ultimately handed the phone to the police," said Mr Singh.
Needham also contacted a 15-year-old girl, telling her: "I want to do you." He adopted her identity after noticing that she was upset by the approach of the man, Nottingham Crown Court heard.
That led to Curtis Needham, 19, being put on the Sex Offenders' Register for five years.
He admitted two counts of sexual communication with a child.
The prosecutor, Mr Singh, said that Needham sent her an intimate photo on August 5 and asked her to send one in exchange.
The girl blocked him and unblocked him the next day, with Needham being relentless at times, and she blocked him again.
When her father seized the phone, he began to send messages and "received inappropriate responses and ultimately handed the phone to the police," said Mr Singh.
Needham also contacted a 15-year-old girl, telling her: "I want to do you." A two-year probation order was ordered for Needham of Kensington Avenue, Heanor.
He had never been in trouble before.
Gurdial Singh, prosecuting, said that sessions with probation officers would be a help.
The court ordered that Needham should not use the internet to contact any girl under 16 for five years.
Judge James Sampson told Needham: "Clearly you are an immature young man.
You behaved out of character.
Your victims were teenagers just as you were a teenager.
The court has to be understanding of the whole picture." The judge also noted that the older girl felt the "exchanges were age-appropriate."
