Man admits to asking teenager for body shots

The court has requested a specialist report to consider whether a man who asked a 13-year-old girl to send photos of her body should be placed on the child sex offenders’ register.

In March this year, Steven Barry Gear started to message the victim over Snapchat.

During their exchanges, the defendant, who was 28 at the time, suggested the two swap secrets, the summary of facts said.

When the teen told him hers, Gear said he could use it to blackmail her, by telling her parents.

On March 18, Gear sent a message asking the girl to send him photos of her body. When she asked why ‘‘he replied ‘I’m a guy lol’,’’ the summary of facts said.

When the teen told him she was only 13, Gear told her she didn’t need to show her face in the pictures, and no one needed to know she’d sent them. He also mentioned he knew her secret.

But the victim refused to send any photos, and immediately showed her mother the messages.

Gear previously pleaded guilty to a charge of indecent communication with a young person under 16.

At a hearing in the New Plymouth District Court on Wednesday, prosecutor Holly Bullock asked for the defendant’s name to be added to the child sex offenders’ register as he presented a ‘‘real and genuine risk’’ to the community. She said a probation report about Gear showed he lacked understanding about what he had done.

However, defence lawyer Julian Hannam argued against registration and said there had been no specialist assessment of his client’s risk. He said registration as a child sex offender would have a clear impact on Gear’s life.

Judge Gregory Hikaka agreed, saying the move ‘‘potentially had life-long consequences.’’ He asked for a specialist report on the issue be prepared prior to the next court hearing on January 9.

Despite the case being adjourned, the teen victim and her mother had their impact statements read out on their behalf.

The teen, who cannot not be identified, said she was ‘‘shaking’’ when she told her mother about Gear’s messages, which she described as ‘‘really inappropriate’’.

The victim’s mother said she shared her daughter’s shock about what happened, and Gear’s excuse that it was a ‘‘joke that went too far’’ was unacceptable.