Sunderland pervert asked 14-year-old girl to 'wear make-up and look older' when meeting for sex

During a series of "vile" online conversations Michael Hawthorne discussed meeting the child to have sex in public toilets or at his shared accommodation and said they should buy alcohol first.

The 40-year-old, who claimed he was in his 20s, asked the schoolgirl for intimate pictures and made "repeated requests" for them to have sex.

He told her to wear make-up and pretend to be older if anyone questioned her when they met.

Prosecutor Annelise Haugstad told Newcastle Crown Court: "The defendant asked to meet her with the intention of having sex with her.

"There were messages about meeting her, talking about sex taking place in public toilets or his shared accommodation."

Miss Haugstad told the court a group called Child Online Safety team was behind the fake child account and there was no real 14-year-old involved in any of the conversations.

The group tipped off the police about Hawthorne and he was questioned and released under investigation after the sickening chats in September 2021.

The court heard while Hawthorne was being investigated he targeted a vulnerable woman, who was "at high risk of domestic abuse" and lived in supported accommodation, then assaulted and threatened her.

He used the woman's money to buy drink and drugs for himself, assaulted her then warned he would torch her flat with her inside if she gave evidence against him.

Hawthorne, 40, of High Street East, Sunderland, admitted attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child, attempted to meet a child following sexual grooming and arranging a sexual offence with a child.

He admitted assault and witness intimidation in relation to the adult.

Judge Tim Gittins sentenced him to three years and 11 months behind bars and ordered him to sign the sex offenders register and abide by a sexual harm prevention order for life.

The judge told him of the serious nature of his crimes and disturbing nature of his conversations with the decoy girl.

"You engaged with what was a decoy profile over several days and a engaged in sexualised conversation, seeking to obtain explicit indecent images of the person you believed to be a virgin.

"It escalated very quickly to you asking to arrange to meet her, with alcohol to be consumed, for her to wear make-up to appear older and giving her explicit instructions to say she was older if questioned or challenged about what she was doing coming to meet you.

"It is clear from from the detailed conversations you were seeking and planning to engage in penetrative sexual intercourse."

The court heard Hawthorne claims to have little recollection of the conversations, which the judge described as "vile", due to drinking heavily at the time.

David Callan, defending Hawthorne, said his client had a "rough upbringing", has mental health problems and has lacked stability in his life.

Hawthorne has previous convictions but none for any sexual offending.