Dean O'Neil n/a

Description

A paedophile booked a hotel room in Derbyshire to meet a seven-year-old girl for sex.

Derby Crown Court heard how Dean O'Neil also bought make-up and clothes as gifts for the youngster after agreeing to pay her father 200 and a Burger King meal to abuse her.

But she was really an undercover police officer posing as her dad.

And when the officer went to the defendant's address to arrest him two days before the arranged meet, O'Neil tried to flee out of the back door.

But he was caught and the gifts he had bought were found at his home.

Jailing him for three years, Recorder Balraj Bhattia said: "What you did was with some enthusiasm.

"You discussed when, where and how much you would pay to sexually abuse what you thought would be a seven-year-old girl.

"You booked a Travelodge in Swanwick, you discussed exactly what could and could not be done (to her).

"You went on to explain that you were sexually aroused and how much you were looking forward to this particular encounter.

"You purchased a number of items that were gifts.

"This was grooming."

Mark Achurch, prosecuting, said the undercover officer posed as the seven-year-old's father and began communicating with O'Neil over the social media app Kik.

He said in a chat room the pair discussed a price and location where the defendant could sexually abuse the young girl.

Mr Achurch said it was 200 and a Burger King meal for the girl and so O'Neil booked the Travelodge in Swanwick for April 1, this year.

He said: "The defendant told the father he had bought make up, pyjamas and clothing for the daughter and admitted he looked at child porn.

"On March 30 the officer went to his address and the defendant tried to escape out of the back door but was caught.

"A search of the property discovered the items he had bought as gifts for the girl."

O'Neil, of Casson Street, Ironville, pleaded guilty to attempting to meet a girl aged under 13 following sexual grooming.

He has 16 previous convictions for 33 offences but nothing of a similar nature.

His barrister, Gareth Gimson, asked the court if his client could address the court himself and read out an apology letter.

After Recorder Bhattia agreed to the request the defendant, on a link from HMP Nottingham, said: "Can I just say I feel deeply ashamed at myself for writing those disgusting messages.

"It is not like me to act this way, I was brought up better.

"I have brought shame on myself and my family and I will not commit a crime like this ever again."

Mr Gimson said his client, diagnosed as schizophrenic, suffered physically at the hands of his "violent bully" of a father growing up.

He said: "He presents, in some ways, rather childlike and he is mystified at how he ended up doing what he did.

"He said he was on that site and found himself getting deeper and deeper and deeper in that exchange.

"He bought the presents, he booked the hotel and he is mystified as to why he did it."

As well as the prison term, Recorder Bhattia handed O'Neil a 10-year sexual harm prevention order.

He will also be on the sex offender register for the rest of his life.