Perverted children's athletics coach from Leeds sent photo of his boxer shorts to 13-year-old girl on Snapchat

Athletics teacher Matthew Harrison, 25, sent messages to the youngster which progressed from simple chat, up to telling her that he “wished she was with him”, called her “cute” and added kisses at the end of each message.

Leeds Crown Court heard that the girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, became uncomfortable with the messages and told him to stop adding kisses. But in June of last year he sent her a photo of his boxer shorts. Prosecutor Michael Collins told the court that she felt “he had gone too far”. She blocked him on Snapchat and told her mother, who called the police.

Harrison, of Wykebeck Street, Osmandthorpe, was arrested but denied the allegation during two police interviews. He has no previous convictions, but eventually admitted sexual communication with a child.

In a victim impact statement from the girl, read out by Mr Collins, she said: “The whole situation has affected my life. I have missed school. I do not trust people and and ask my parents for reassurance. It’s ruined the last year of my life worrying if I had to go to court.”

Mitigating, Jessica Strange told the court: “He does accept what he has done, the sexual nature of it, but more than that, how ashamed he feels towards this young girl. He did struggle to speak with probation because he was scared and found it difficult to face up to what he has done. He knows he could go to prison today.”

The judge, the Recorder of Leeds Guy Kearl KC said: “You are still relatively young and have no previous convictions. You progressed to attaching kisses and it culminated in you sending the picture of your boxer shorts. It was plainly inappropriate.”

"The remorse you have shown is limited, but I’m pleased to report you are making progress.”

He gave him nine months’ jail, suspended for two years, ordered him to enrol on a sex offender programme, 55 rehabilitation days and 200 hours of unpaid work. He was also given a lifelong restraining order and sexual harm prevention order to limit his internet use.