A MAN who tried to engage in sex chats with a girl he believed was 13 years old was told he came very close to being jailed.
Robert Norman, who was caught online paedophile hunter sting, previously admitted an attempt to engage in sexual communication with a child.
In the message, the 41-year-old, of Mulberry Drive, Malvern, discussed her nipples and asked for photographs of them and her underwear.
At the latest hearing Andrew Mitchinson, prosecuting, said over a two-week period messages were sent to Stephanie, a girl Norman thought was 13 years old.
"He had a number of conversations," the prosecutor said.
"He asked for naked pictures, including ones in the shower."
The prosecutor explained Norman thought he was speaking to an underage teenager but she was a decoy and did not exist.
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'Stephanie' had in fact been a member of a paedophile hunting group playing the role of a teen girl. The group passed the evidence to police.
Sam Lamsdale, defending Norman, said prior to the offence Norman, a retail worker, had been a man of good character.
Mrs Lamsdale said Norman was regretful of his actions, explaining he was single and lonely and strayed into areas on internet chat messaging sites he shouldn't have gone.
She added Norman had suffered depression as he has not seen his children since the offences came to light, which was already a punishment for him.
Sentencing him for an attempt to engage in sexual communication with a child, Jayne Burton, chairman of the magistrates bench, told Norman: "These are extremely serious offences."
Norman was jailed for six months, suspended for a year.
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Norman was told to complete 14 rehabilitation days which, the chairman said, would be designed to stop Norman from reoffending.
Norman was ordered to complete 14 rehabilitation activity requirement days, 120 hours unpaid work, costs of £185 and victim surcharge of £128.
Magistrates told Norman to pay the total, £315, in full within 28 days.
The case was heard at Worcester Magistrates Court on Monday (December 19).
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