Pervert spared jail after grooming schoolgirl while playing Minecraft on Xbox

Kevin Green chatted to the teen during online Minecraft games and started sending her private messages through the application.

Newcastle Crown Court heard the conversations quickly became "graphic" and the 37-year-old tried to set up meetings but was unsuccesful.

Their illegal chats were exposed when the girl's family saw the content of her Xbox messages and contacted the police.

Green, of The Lawns, Easington Lane, admitted sexual communication with a child and arranging to meet a child following sexual grooming.

Judge Julie Clemitson told him: "What you did was utterly despicable".

Judge Clemitson added: "She would play Minecraft over Xbox Live. Over a period of days you would join in that chat online.

"You moved to direct chat with her and had private conversation with her.

"You made a deliberate decision to engage in private conversation.

"Something in you must have had an interest in striking up a friendly conversation.”

The judge said the girl reminded Green of her age and he said it didn't matter.

Judge Clemitson added: "Messages began to include sexual content. You must have made a conscious decision to introduce sexual content to your conversation.

"It is apparent from the chat I have been able to read it was certainly all driven by you and that could only have been because you were gratified by the sexual conversation you were having."

The judge said Green showed "a degree of persistence" and discussed having "various sexual activities" with the child but no meeting was ever successfully arranged.

Green was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment, suspended for two years, with rehabilitation requirements.

He must sign the sex offenders register and abide by a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for the next ten years.

Judge Clemitson said Green has been assessed as "low risk" of repeat offending and has never been in trouble before.

Lorraine Mustard, defending, said: "He fully accepts he's a father in his 30s who ought not to have entertained, engaged in a conversation of that nature at all."

Miss Mustard said Green has lost his home and his partner as a result of the offences and added: "He is someone who can be safely managed in the community."

She added: "It was out of character. He as dealing with the pressures of life in a completely inappropriate way."