ESTON PAEDOPHILE JAILED FOR SENDING SICKENING MESSAGES TO 'GIRLS' AGED 10 AND 13
A convicted paedophile sent sexually explicit messages to who he thought were two underage girls age 13 and 10.Steven Bates has been locked up for four years after admitting a string of sickening offences.
The 56-year-old was arrested in July after police were contacted by an anti-paedophile group who had carried out a citizen's arrest.
Messages between Bates and two decoys were found on the defendant's phone.
Both conversations with the 'girls' started on Facebook before moving to Whatsapp.
Dan Wilberforce, prosecuting, said in the conversation with 'Emma', a decoy pretending to be a 13-year-old girl, Bates spoke about them having baths together.
Bates, who has been married for 29 years, spoke about "touching and cuddling and kissing her" and messaged about "taking off her shorts and touching her thighs".
He outlined a step-by-step guide to sex and encouraged her to complete a solo sex act, Teesside Crown Court heard.
Discussions then turned to a "real world meet".
Mr Wilberforce said: "[He told her she could] come to his flat for part of the six weeks holiday and come by train and work for his landscaping business." "He provided his address and said he would pick her up from Middlesbrough Train Station." In messages to 'Poppy', a decoy acting as a 10-year-old girl, he said: "She shouldn't tell people that [she was going in the bath] because some people will want pictures." Bates, who is a father and grandfather, told her: "Some people want pictures due to a perversion.
Some people like children, some like grown ups." The court heard of grooming behaviour to build trust with 'Poppy'.
He said: "I wish I was your age and we could play together." Bates goes on to incite her to carry out a sex act and talks about wanting to kiss her on the neck.
Bates, who has nine previous convictions for 16 offences, was jailed for 33 months for inciting a female under 16 years of age to engage in sexual activity in 2022.
Following the offences in June and July earlier this year, Bates admitted two counts of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, attempt to cause or incite a girl 13 to 15 to engage in sexual activity, and one of attempting to cause or incite a female child aged under 13 to engage in sexual activity.
Chris Morrison, mitigating, outlined how Bates has mental health issues and suffered trauma in his childhood.
He also has significant health issues, including a disease of the immune system and arthritis in his spine.
The court heard he is the primary carer for his wife, who is also in ill health and relies on his support.
Mr Morrison said this was an "attempt of the impossible" and no children suffered any harm.
The court added: "You are considered a very high risk of serious harm to children." Bates, of Lindrick Court, Eston, was jailed for four years.
