Suspended jail term for man who engaged in 'sexualised online conversations' with '13-year-old girl' but it was an undercover police officer
A man who engaged in "sexualised online conversations" with an undercover police officer whom he thought was a 13-year-old girl, has received a suspended jail sentence.
Richard Steele (46), with an address listed on a charge sheet as Crankill Road near Ballymena, was at the town's Magistrates' Court on Thursday. He pleaded guilty to the two charges he faced.
The first charge was that between March 4 and April 4 last year 'for the purpose of obtaining sexual gratification intentionally attempted to communicate with a person under 16 years, the communication being sexual or intended to encourage the said ... to make a communication that was sexual, and you did not reasonably believe that ... was 16 years or over'.
The second charge was that between March 4 and March 6 last year 'for the purpose of sexual gratification attempted to intentionally cause a child under 16 years to look at an image of a person engaging in sexual activity and that you did not reasonably believe her to be aged 16 or over'.
A prosecutor said that on December 2 last year police searched the defendant's home address as he had been "engaged in sexualised online conversations with a person that he believed at that time to be a 13-year-old female. He had actually been speaking to an undercover police officer in relation to an operation".
When arrested, the defendant admitted he was an "administrator" of a "group chat" and confirmed his user-name and profile picture.
The prosecutor said that as part of the "online sexual chat" two "pornographic videos" were sent to the decoy and the defendant "admitted he had done that".
A defence barrister said it was a "decoy" case and "no actual child was spoken to or given an opportunity to watch any adult pornography". When arrested, the defendant "co-operated fully".
He said the defendant had previously been a man of "good standing" and the offending was a "moment of madness".
The lawyer said that due to "adverse public comment" in connection with the case the defendant's work is in "jeopardy". He added: "He has had to move from the family home."
The barrister said a pre-sentence report assessed the defendant as a "low likelihood of re-offending".
The lawyer said he appreciated there is a "certain, understandable, public revulsion in respect of this type of offending" which was "becoming more and more prevalent before the courts".
The barrister said it was "very clear in the pre-sentence report" that the defendant "will never re-offend in this regard ever again."
A number of references about the defendant were submitted to the court. At an earlier court, a defence lawyer said there had been "extensive media coverage" in the case.
He said "a considerable degree of offensive material" had been sent "to the previous address where he lived at". The barrister said that matter has been "referred to the police".
The lawyer had told the earlier court: "His address has changed. I just want that on the record". The new address was not outlined to the court.
At Thursday's Court, Deputy District Judge Noel Dunlop handed down an eight months prison term, suspended for two years.
The defendant has to sign the Sex Offenders' Register for five years and a five year Sexual Offences Prevention Order was put in place.