PERVERT MOANED HE WAS 'UGLY AND UNWANTED' BEFORE ASKING 'SCHOOLGIRL' FOR NAKED PHOTO
A Middlesbrough pervert sent messages to a "schoolgirl" telling her he "loved her".Liam Fletcher repeatedly asked "Molly" for naked photos of herself but he was actually speaking to a member of a group that helps snare sexual predators.
Fletcher told the girl that he wanted to date her and perform a sex act on her.
He complained he was "ugly and unwanted" in the Facebook messages, in July last year.
But the 24-year-old was communicating with a decoy from the group that set up the fake profile to catch adults looking to sexually abuse children.
The court heard Fletcher tried to emotionally blackmail Molly by threatening to take his own life.
Matthew Hopkins, prosecuting, said that when the schoolgirl talked him out of it, he asked: "Do you love me?" He instructed the girl, who made it clear that she was 14, to delete their messages at the end of each day.
Fletcher sent his postcode and asked the girl to visit him and told her he'd like to have sex with her, the prosecution barrister added.
He also sent two photographs of his genitals.
The group, called Child Online Safety Team, confronted Fletcher at his home in Dallas Court, Hemlington, after he had spent five days sending the sick messages in July 2025.
The group then called police.
He later pleaded guilty to attempted sexual communications with a child.
In mitigation, Robert Mochrie told the court that his client "does not show a great deal of insight" into what he has done and the harm his behaviour could have caused to a child.
Mr Mochrie said: "[The defendant] felt a great deal of embarrassment about what he has done." He said Fletcher suffered "trauma as a child".
Judge Peter Makepeace said that because Fletcher has spent the last six months in HMP Holme House on remand.
The judge said: "If I sent you to custody today, you'd be in prison for a further two months at the most.
I'm not sure what that would achieve." Fletcher was handed an 18-month community order where he must attend 26 sessions of an accredited programme run by the probation service called "building choices".
He must also complete 25 rehabilitation days.
A five-year sexual harm prevention order was put in place banning the sex offender from contacting any under 16's.
The order also stipulates that he must let his offender manager know about all of his online devices and hand over his passwords for them so his online use can be routinely checked.
He will sign the sex offenders' register for the next five years.
"This is an opportunity to get help and support," the judge told Fletcher.
"You will be released from prison today."
