Dad asked ‘girl’ to dress up and send pictures
A dad asked who he thought was a 12-year-old girl to watch porn, dress up in sexy clothes and send him sleazy pictures during a series of sick online chats.
Pervert Gary Horn used a social media forum to make contact with the ‘youngster’ but failed to realise he was actually talking to a decoy profile set up by paedophile hunters.
The 35-year-old was immediately told the girl’s age but responded by telling her “Sorry, I thought you were older, my bad, fancy a f***?”.
Newcastle Crown Court heard that Horn then took the conversation on to WhatsApp, where he asked the child to watch porn and send him photos of her wearing “sexy clothes”.
He finally stopped contact after apparently gaining a conscience but was later confronted by the online vigilante group in front of his partner and young child at his home address.
Now, Horn, of Garden Terrace, Stanley, County Durham, has avoided an immediate stint behind bars after he pleaded guilty to attempting to communicate sexually with a child.
Giving him a nine-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, Judge Amanda Rippon said: “You’re extremely lucky you are not charged with a far more serious offence of attempting to incite a child into sexual activity because asking her to watch porn is attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity.
“These offences are extremely serious and are dealt with by the courts extremely seriously.
“When a 12-year-old tells you she’s 12, to ask for a f*** and ask her to get dressed up and watch porn, if that was a real 12-year-old girl, the damage is incalculable and often lifelong.
“You thought nothing about her, only yourself and your sexual own gratification.”
The court heard that it was on May 6 last year that Horn began messaging the victim’s profile, which was setup by the Child Online Safety Team.
After being told her age, he asked if she “fancied a f***” before moving the chat to WhatApp.
Prosecutor, Jolyon Perks, said Horn then sent a number of sexual messages, including asking her to dressup and send him photos.
Mr Perks added: “The defendant asked her if she wanted sex. When she said she didn’t know how, he encouraged her to watch some porn.”
Horn severed contact with the youngster after two days but was later confronted by the online group at his home.
Alec Burns, defending, said he had a problem with alcohol and had been drunk at the time.
“He now realises the wider implications of the offence,” Mr Burns added. “He understands that and shows remorse.
“Alcohol has been a problem for a long time. He has self-referred and keeps a daily diary, so that can be checked and updated every three weeks.”
Horn was also made to sign the Sex Offenders’ Register for 10 years and was made subject of a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for the same period.