A man was sentenced to a suspended prison term for sending explicit sexual texts to a girl he believed to be 14 years old.
In October 2022, Mark Robertson, 54, also uploaded nude photos of himself to the online spoof account, according to evidence presented at Newcastle Crown Court.
His arguments that he was driven by “loneliness” were dismissed by Judge Amanda Rippon, who told him that there was “no getting away from the fact” that he had a “sexual interest in a child.”
Robertson, of Washington, Sunderland’s John F. Kennedy Estate, received a 10-month jail sentence with a two-year suspension.
According to prosecutor Antonia Adie, Robertson reached out to the adolescent girl’s Snapchat profile in October 2022 and immediately enquired about the possibility of becoming her boyfriend.
According to the court, the texts became more explicit as he called her “baby” and declared his love for her before describing in graphic detail having sex with her.
Robertson informed the girl that he realised what he was doing was improper and that it should remain between them after he gave her sexual photos and asked for some in return, according to Ms. Adie.
After the girl informed him that he was solely interested in sex, the texts ceased on November 11.
The court was informed that a “undercover operative” was actually managing the account, and that Robertson had made complete confessions to police following his arrest.
He admitted to authorities that his “moral compass was off-kilter” and that he was under stress at work.
“Loneliness is not an excuse.”
According to Sophie Allinson-Howells’ mitigation, Robertson had “lost his mind” at the time, was “isolated and lonely,” and “did not have a genuine sexual interest in children” despite having no prior convictions or warnings.
However, according to Judge Rippon, Robertson singled out a youngster when there were “lots of lonely” people online who would have been delighted to speak with him.
The judge stated, “He must have a sexual interest in a child in order to engage in the conversation he did,” adding that he was aware of the gravity and wrongness of his behaviour.
Judge Rippon stated that loneliness and isolation were “not an excuse” and that she had “seen far too many” criminals like Robertson.
“Many, many people are isolated and lonely in this country, they do not resort to offending against children,” remarked the magistrate.
She suspended Robertson’s prison sentence, which will involve work with the probation service, because she believed he had a reasonable chance of recovery.
In addition, he has to sign the sex offender registry and follow a sexual harm prevention order that restricts his internet and child-contact for ten years.
