‘Underage sex chat’ dad is spared jail
A man has been spared jail after being confronted by paedophile hunters after engaging in sexual conversation with what he thought was an underage schoolgirl.
Newcastle Crown Court heard Martin Kirkwood, 34, of Eden Terrace, Sunderland, began chatting to what he believed was an underage teen girl called Louise on a social media website in May last year.
However the profile was actually a decoy account set up by a member of Guardians of the North in an attempt to expose adults looking online for underage sex.
Jolyn Perks, prosecuting, told the court how the chat did not turn sexual until Kirkwood contacted “Louise” again in February this year.
Mr Perks said that, at that point, “Louise” responded by telling Kirkwood “I’m back at school tomorrow, I hate being 14”.
Mr Perks said Kirkwood then began to refer to the girl as sexy, said he would like to be in bed with her, requested topless pictures of the girl and sent her an indecent picture of himself.
He said: “He asked her who had access to her phone and told her not to tell anyone.”
Mr Perks said Kirkwood organised to meet her on March 4 this year, but cancelled the meeting and told her they would have to rearrange.
A number of members of Guardians of the North attended his address on March 6 to confront him.
They contacted the police and Kirkwood was arrested by officers.
Kirkwood admitted attempting to engage in sexual conversation with a child between February 23, 2018 and March 5, 2018.
Alec Burns, defending, told the court: “He thought about his own daughter and how anyone meeting her would be and that’s why he thought better of it.
Mr Recorder Wood sentenced Kirkwood to six months in prison suspended for two years with rehabilitation.
Kirkwood was also ordered to sign the sex offenders register and abide by a sexual harm prevention order, both for seven years.