Man sent sex messages to four decoy girls online

John Stephenson was sentenced at Newcastle Crown Court

A pensioner was caught sending sexual messages to what he thought were four girls as young as 12 online, a court has heard.

John Stephenson, 68, made sexual advances to girls he found on Kick, but the profiles were all being run as decoys by paedophile-hunting police, Newcastle Crown Court heard.

As well as sending explicit descriptions of sex acts he wanted them to perform, he also asked two of the "girls" to send him pictures of themselves in their school uniforms.

Stephenson, from Hebburn, was jailed for almost 14 months suspended for two years after admitting attempting to engage in sexual communications with children and making indecent images of youths.

'Sexual gratification'

Stephenson continued messaging the decoys over a number of weeks and months in 2022 despite being told the "girls" were aged 12 and 13, Judge Robert Adams said.

He lied about his age, claiming he was in his 40s or 50s, and he quickly turned the conversations sexual, the court heard.

When one of the "girls" told him she was 13, Stephenson replied she was "a bit young" but then asked if she was a "dirty girl" who wanted to perform sex acts, the judge said.

When he was arrested, police found half a dozen indecent images of children on his phone, including three in the most serious category, with the girls aged between 12 and 16.

He admitted to officers he got "sexual gratification" knowing the girls he was talking to "were younger" and he knew it was illegal.

'Rehabilitation capability'

In mitigation, the court heard since his arrest Stephenson had stopped using internet-enabled devices and had sought help.

The court heard he was retired having worked in the army, oil industry and as a publican.

Judge Adams said the jail term of 13 months and two weeks could be suspended as Stephenson was "clearly capable of rehabilitation".

He will have to work with the probation service to complete relevant courses as part of his sentence.

Stephenson must also sign the sex offenders register and comply with a sexual harm prevention order restricting his contact with girls for 10 years.