Locations
Ship Alley, Farnborough, Hampshire, GU14
Description
A teenager was the subject of a paedophile hunter sting after sending photos of his genitals to a decoy he believed to be a 12-year-old girl.
Cameron Davidson, now 20, was also found in possession of indecent images of children after being arrested on August 21 last year in Barry .
Members of Alpha Predator Hunters created a profile for a 12-year-old girl, with a photo of a woman manipulated to look like a child with a Snapchat filter, on dating app Badoo.
When Davidson messaged the profile the decoy replied: "How old are you? I'm 12 and shouldn't be on here." He replied saying he was 19 years old.
A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court on Friday heard the conversation between the defendant and the decoy moved to WhatsApp and Davidson began sending sexually explicit messages in which he asked the 12-year-old to engage in sexual activity.
During the conversations Davidson sent pictures of his penis on two occasions and asked the decoy to send a picture of her breasts.
An arrangement was made between the two to meet at Barry railway station on August 21 but when the day came the defendant cancelled saying he was too busy at work.
Having sent a picture of himself in his work uniform the decoy was able to track down the address of his place of work in Barry and members of the paedophile hunter group travelled there to confront him and saw him walking along the street.
Prosecutor Clare Wilks said Davidson was approached by two men who asked him his name and if he had arranged to meet a 12-year-old. He said he had but claimed he thought the girl was 18. He was detained until the police arrived and arrested.
A black Samsung mobile phone was seized and was discovered to contain two category A indecent images, four category B images, and seven category C images as well as nine extreme pornographic images.
In interview Davidson accepted the decoy had told him she was 12 years old but claimed he thought she was "messing around". He also claimed to have a "high sex drive", which he requested treatment for, but denied have a sexual interest in children.
The defendant, of Ship Alley, Farnborough, Hampshire, later pleaded guilty to attempting to communicate with a child, attempting to engage a child in sexual activity, and possession of indecent and extreme images.
Defence barrister Ruth Smith said her client was a young man who "needed help" and would benefit from intervention from the probation service.
Sentencing, Recorder Greg Bull QC said: "Sexual offences are always serious and the offences you have committed are likely to have a heavy impact on your life.
"Having sexual contact with a child is something that the courts abhor, as does society."
Davidson was sentenced to 21 months imprisonment suspended for two years and was ordered to carry out a 55-day rehabilitation activity requirement and do 200 hours unpaid work.
He was also made subject to a sexual harm prevention order and must register as a sex offender for 10 years.