Locations
Whitehall Street, South Shields, NE33
Description
A South Shields paedophile who thought he was sending sexual chats to a young girl was in fact messaging an uncover police officer.
Christopher Bullock believed he was speaking to a 13-year-old girl on the Kik messenger app and sent over pictures of his penis and initiated a perverted game. But the 39-year-old was actually speaking to an undercover police officer who had created a fake profile in order to snare perverts.
When Bullock was arrested, his home was searched and officers found indecent images of children in his possession. Bullock appeared at Newcastle Crown Court on Wednesday to be sentenced for three counts of making indecent images and a charge of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child. He pleaded guilty to the charges at a previous hearing.
Rachel Glover, prosecuting, said an undercover officer joined the Kik app and created a profile purporting to be that of a 13-year-old girl from London. Ms Glover said: "The profile received three messages from the defendant between June and July, 2019 where he said 'Hi gorgeous', and there was no reply. Four attempts were made on September 2, 2019, where a conversation followed. The defendant told her that he was 36, from Newcastle and worked as a delivery driver."
Ms Glover said that Bullock's messages quickly turned sexual and asked to play a game of "question and answer". She said some of questions were general, but many were sexual. "During the conversation the defendant said he would like to see her breasts and asked if she would like to meet", Ms Glover said. Bullock also sent a picture of himself, as well as of his penis.
The court heard that Bullock, of Whitehall Street, South Shields, was later arrested at his home and his electronic devices were also seized. A hard drive was examined and indecent images were found, including one in category A. The images had been downloaded between 2017 and 2019.
Gavin Doig, defending, said Bullock indicated guilty pleas early and had no previous convictions. He said: "Fortunately, it's a single conversation. It's something the defendant should never have done and is very ashamed of."
Recorder Ian Mullarkey handed Bullock a 10 month prison sentence, suspended for two years and ordered him to complete 55 rehabilitation activity days and a sex offender programme. He was made subject of a seven year sexual harm prevention order and will be on the sex offender's register for 10 years.