Leeds pervert wanted sex with underage girl after Snapchat grooming
The 25-year-old said he was “disgusted” by his own behaviour
A pervert who told an underage girl he wanted sex with her has avoided immediate custody.
Jon Horner communicated with the girl over Snapchat for a number of days, making lewd comments, Leeds Crown Court heard.
His offending came to light when the girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, confided in a friend.
Horner, 25, admitted arranging or facilitating sexual activity with a child, engaging in sexual communication with a child and two counts of making indecent images of a child.
Prosecutor Erin Kitson-Parker said the girl was 14 at the time.
He asked the girl to “send him everything” in terms of photos and videos and told her he wanted sex.
The communication went on for only a matter of days.
Mitigating, Rhianydd Clement said Horner, of Church Lane, Micklefield, was “disgusted” with his own behaviour and had “expressed genuine remorse”.
She added: “He regrets it, feels ashamed and knows it was wrong.
“It was only over a short period of time. Essentially, he got carried away but realised he went too far and stopped.”
Ms Kitson-Parker said Horner worked as a gas engineer and was on antipsychotic medication for paranoid psychosis.
She added that while his family condemn his behaviour, they are supporting him.
Judge Neil Clark opted to suspend the inevitable prison sentence, saying there had been delays in bringing it to court and that Horner had stayed out of trouble since.
He handed him a 27-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months.
He ordered him to complete the 26-session Building Choices awareness programme, 10 rehabilitation days with probation and 200 hours of unpaid work,
He was put on the sex offender register for 10 years.