TEACHING ASSISTANT AVOIDS JAIL OVER SEXUAL MESSAGES

22-year-old convicted of offences involving girls aged 13 to 15

A TEACHING assistant sent sexual messages to four teenage girls – including a photo of his genitals.

Louis Colby contacted his victims – who were aged 13 to 15 – on Snapchat telling them they were ‘hot’ or ‘fit’.

The 22-year-old denied any crime, but was convicted of sexual communication with a child and three counts of attempted sexual communication with a child.

The offences took place between July and October 2019 when Colby was working in a school.

Now the defendant, of Peregrine Grove, in Meir, has been handed a 12-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, at Stoke-on-trent Crown Court.

Anthony Longworth, prosecuting said: “The first offence involved a 13-year-old girl. The girl’s mother saw disturbing messages and called the police. They traced the number from which the messages had been sent. They went to his home and arrested him.

“They seized his telephone. There were a number of different communications and messages on Snapchat.

“Between October 7 and 8 he texted a girl telling her she was ‘hot’ and asking to see a picture of her. She sent a fully clothed one.

“He commented on her breasts. He asked ‘how old are you?’. She said ‘15’. He said ‘I can’t get over your boobs, can I show you something?’. He asked if she wanted him to send her a d**k pic. She said ‘No’.

“He sent her a message asking what she thought and if she liked it. The inference is that he sent the picture.”

Mr Longworth added: “The next communication took place between August 26 and 31, 2019 on Snapchat.

“There appears to be messages missing because the defendant went on to say ‘did you have sex without your parents knowing?’.

“She did send three images of a girl in underwear. Another girl from July 2019 said she was 14. He asked if she had ever done it. She said ‘I don’t want you to text me’.”

When interviewed about his actions, Colby told the police what he did was an ‘honest and stupid mistake’.

Andrew Jackson, mitigating, said: “There was no intention he would sexually engage with a child.

“His risk is described as moderate and can be controlled. The remorse is genuine.

“It’s the difficulty of conversing with people of his own age. He worked as a teaching assistant. He is now in employment. He is able to improve his life.”

Colby must complete a Rehabilitation Activity Requirement for 55 days, including 150 hours of unpaid work.

He was also handed a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for five years and was ordered to pay costs of £425.

Recorder Julian Taylor told him: “If you come back before me you won’t be given a second chance.

“You have brought shame on yourself and your family.”