Man sentenced for 14-year-old girl decoy sex chat

A man who sent graphic sexual messages to what he thought was a 14-year-old girl has been given a suspended prison sentence.

Mark Robertson, 54, also sent naked pictures of himself to the online decoy account in October 2022, Newcastle Crown Court heard.

Judge Amanda Rippon gave short shrift to his claims he was motivated by "loneliness", telling him there was "no getting away from the fact" he had a "sexual interest in a child".

Robertson, of the John F Kennedy Estate in Washington, Sunderland, was jailed for 10 months suspended for two years.

Prosecutor Antonia Adie said Robertson contacted the profile of the teenage girl on Snapchat in October 2022 and soon asked if he could be her boyfriend.

The messages became increasingly sexual as he called her "baby" and told her he loved her, before going on to graphically discuss carrying out sex acts with her, the court heard.

He sent naked pictures and requested some in return, Ms Adie said, and Robertson told the girl he knew what he was doing was wrong and it should stay between the two of them.

The messages stopped on 11 November after the girl told him he was only interested in sex.

The account was actually being run by an "undercover operative", the court was told, with Robertson making full admissions to police after being arrested.

He told officers he was stressed at work and his "moral compass was off-kilter".

In mitigation, Sophie Allinson-Howells said Robertson, who had no previous convictions or cautions, had "lost his mind" at the time, was "isolated and lonely" and did "not have a genuine sexual interest in children".

But Judge Rippon said there were "lots of lonely" adults online who would have been happy to talk to him but instead Robertson targeted a child.

"He must have a sexual interest in a child in order to engage in the conversation he did", the judge said, adding he knew how wrong and serious his actions were.

Judge Rippon said she had "seen far too many" offenders like Robertson, adding being isolated and lonely was "not an excuse".

"Many, many people are isolated and lonely in this country, they do not resort to offending against children," the judge said.

She said Robertson had a realistic prospect of rehabilitation so suspended his prison term, which will include work with the probation service.

He must also sign the sex offender register and abide by a sexual harm prevention order limiting his contact with children and usage of the internet for 10 years.

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