Man who sent sexual messages to 'girl' sentenced

A 66-year-old man has been sentenced after sending sexual online messages to a person he thought was a 12-year-old girl.

Robert Shread, from Rawcliffe, York, used chat websites and apps to message the contact, an undercover investigator, with Shread discussing sexual acts and asking for "indecent photographs".

At York Crown Court he was handed a 10-month jail sentence, suspended for one year, after admitting one count of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child.

Shread was arrested in January 2024 and told police his actions were "for his own sexual gratification", North Yorkshire Police said.

He admitted the communication was "disgusting" and "not appropriate for someone of that age".

Det Con Melanie Gladwell said Shread had "no regard to the lasting damage that his actions could cause".

"The defendant demonstrated a sexual interest in communicating with a 12-year-old girl and used repulsive language to do so," he said.

"Behaviour like this poses a serious risk to children online – we will continue to pursue such offenders and put them before the courts."

He pleaded guilty to the offence at York Magistrates' Court in April.

At his sentencing, Shread was ordered to complete 80 hours of unpaid community work and engage in rehabilitation schemes.

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