Sunderland man found guilty of attempted sexual communication with a child who was actually an undercover police officer

Sam Ross had five conversations over Snapchat, starting in April 2021, with a person who claimed to be a schoolgirl but was actually an undercover police officer.

Newcastle Crown Court heard as well as talking about pets and family, Ross sent pictures of himself in boxer shorts and requested she send images back.

Prosecutor Mairi Clancy told the court Ross asked the "girl" to take selfies in school, called her "flirty" and asked if she had watched "naughty" things online before.

Miss Clancy said during the messages Ross used emojis which included love hearts.

Ross, 25, of Brunton Terrace, Sunderland, denied attempted sexual communication with a child but was convicted by a jury after a trial at Newcastle Crown Court.

Miss Clancy told the court: "His defence was he accepted entering into correspondence but that he knew all along it wasn't a 12-year-old girl, he knew he was being set up by someone, although not an undercover police operative.

"He engaged in chats to try and reel in the person he was talking to."

Miss Clancy said Ross was studying law at the time the offence was committed.

Lorraine Mustard, defending, said the chats were far less explicit than is often seen in such cases and told the court: "The conversations were concerning but not towards the upper end of offending. There was no degree of persistence."

Miss Mustard told the court Ross has been in no trouble before or since and probation officials do not consider him a high risk.

Judge Gavin Doig said Ross is in full time employment, hard working and accepted it was "isolated offending".

The judge told Ross: "The jury clearly concluded by their verdict you didn't believe this was an adult male pretending to be a child but they were sure you believed you were communicating with a child under 16, in which case, the messages you sent were a disgrace."

Judge Doig accepted the messages were not the "worst" type seen by the courts and said Ross was lacking maturity at the time he sent them, when he was 21.

Ross was sentenced to six months, suspended for 18 months, with rehabilitation requirements and ordered to sign the sex offenders register for seven years.