A pervert asked someone he thought was a teenage girl whether she liked older men and sent her a topless photo on Snapchat.
Michael Croft, 31, was messaging someone who he thought was a 13-year-old child named Chloe on the social media platform.
The messages, which were being received by an undercover officer, were sent between March 18 and 29 of last year.
Croft was engaging with “several adult women” at the time, which is how he started talking to the police decoy, Southampton Crown Court heard.
He told the profile she was “cute” and “nice” after he received a picture of a fully clothed girl, said prosecutor James Kellam.
He said: “The defendant then told the profile he had a second Snapchat account, which he said was a ‘merit and promotion’ to those who deserve it.
“They started conversing on that account, and he asked the profile if she liked older guys.
“He was very open about his age with the profile.”
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Mr Kellam said Croft then asked the ‘girl’ what part of him she wanted to see, offering to expose himself.
He then sent a topless photo of himself which showed his bare arms and chest, and suggested he was naked under his duvet.
The undercover officer sent an image of a fully clothed girl, to which Croft replied: “A lot more flesh would be exposed if I was there”.
After this, the conversation between the pair “ended spontaneously”.
Mitigating, Eve Shelley said Croft is a “man of good character”.
She told the court: “The conversation ceased because Mr Croft did not see it developing.
“He does not have any recollection of this conversation.”
Judge Peter Henry said: “Well that is a bit worrying. Is it in a mist of many similar conversations?”
Continuing her defence, Ms Shelley said: “He is accepting of his behaviour and he is remorseful.”
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Croft, of Lordswood Court, Southampton, pleaded guilty to one count of attempting to engage with sexual communication with a child.
Passing sentence, Judge Henry said: “It is said in the pre-sentence report a lot of things were difficult between you and your partner which is why you embarked on this behaviour.
“I find that difficult to believe.
“You clearly tried soliciting images from a person you believed to be a child.”
Croft was handed a six-month prison sentence suspended for two years.
He must undertake 150 hours of unpaid work, 26 rehabilitation sessions, and pay costs of £160.
He is also subject to a seven-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
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