PENSIONER TO SERVE 3-YEAR SENTENCE AFTER OFFERED TO PAY FOR CHILD TO BE TAKEN FOR SEX
A pensioner agreed to pay for a child to be delivered to his house for sex, a court has heard.Nicholas Page talked to the unknown person about wanting sex with virgins and 13-year-old girls and also asked for indecent images.
When the child was not taken to his home at the arranged time the 75-year-old complained to his contact demanding to know where the girl was and saying the person had his bank card details.
After being arrested and charged the pensioner repeatedly failed to turn at court and had to be arrested on a warrant and taken into custody ahead of his sentencing.
His barrister said while "nothing could justify the genuinely shameful offending" his client was "a product of his childhood experiences".
Craig Jones, prosecuting, told Swansea Crown Court that in February last year a care worker at Carmarthenshire Council made his regular visit to the defendant's house.
He said during the visit Page began telling the carer about conversations he was having with someone regarding sexual encounters with girls "as young as 14".
Page then showed the carer a picture of a female on his phone and asked him how old she was.
The carer later reported the disclosures to his manager who alerted the police.
Officers went to Page's house on April 19 and seized his phones.
While no indecent images were located, officers found text messages where Page was "actively trying to obtain such material" and asked for pictures of children as young as eight.
Police also found conversations where Page was soliciting sexual activity with young girls in return for payments.
An agreement was made that a female would be taken to the defendant's house at 2pm the following day but no female was actually brought, with Page sending angry texts demanding to know where the girl was and saying his bank card details had been shared.
In other conversations Page expressed a desire for sex with virgins, indicating a preference for 13-year-olds but also interest in children "10 or younger".
Nicholas Anthony Page, of Ropewalk Road, Llanelli, had previously pleaded guilty to attempting to possess indecent images of children and arranging or facilitating the commission of a child sexual offence.
He has no previous convictions.
He was originally due to be sentenced in May last year but repeatedly failed to attend court, citing medical reasons without providing documentation.
He was eventually arrested on a warrant in December and remain uncooperative with court-ordered medical reports.
His lawyer said he had a troubled upbringing and experienced physical and other abuse in care, which, he argued, contributed to his offending.
The judge noted that the evidence showed Page was trying to persuade an unknown adult to send indecent images and to "provide children" for sexual activity, and that payments had been discussed, although Page believed he may have been "conned".
The judge stated that the offending was so serious he would not suspend even a sentence of two years or less.
With a one-quarter reduction for guilty pleas, Page was sentenced to three years in prison, to serve 40% in custody before being released on license.
He will be registered as a sex offender for life and is subject to an indefinite sexual harm prevention order.
