Man answered ad for underage girl

A GOLD Coast man brought a bag of sex toys with him to meet a woman and her 14year-old daughter to “engage in sexual activity” after answering an ad on Craigslist, a court has heard.

But, the woman was actually a police officer and the teenager did not exist. Rhett Patrick Anstee narrowly missed spending time in jail for the surf club meet in November 2017 after he pleaded guilty in the Southport District Court yesterday to one count of using the internet to procure a child.

Anstee was sentenced to 18 months prison which was suspended for two years.

The court was told Anstee responded to an advertisement police had placed on Craigslist offering to “engage in sexual activity” with a 37-year-old woman and her 14-year-old daughter. Anstee responded and arranged to meet.

Crown prosecutor Stephanie Gallagher said when Anstee arrived at a Gold Coast surf club in November last year he had a bag of sex toys with him.

She said Anstee was “one of a number” of people who had responded to the advertisement.

Judge Julie Dick said she accepted that Anstee had a problem with the drug ice at the time and had since taken steps to rehabilitation.