A PERVERT believed he was sending nude photographs of himself and sexually chatting to a 13-year-old girl, but was actually being caught in a police sting, a court heard.

Philip Michael James Lewis, aged 44, thought he was messaging a 13-year-old girl named 'Holly'. However, Lewis was actually talking to a law enforcement officer running a decoy profile.

Lewis, of Main Road, Tolpuddle, appeared in Bournemouth Crown Court on Monday, January 10 after pleading guilty to attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child between September 13 and October 29, 2020.

Prosecuting, Robert Griffiths said that there were at least four occasions where Holly stated her age during their conversations together.

The court heard that Lewis sent sexually suggestive questions and messages to the decoy on a number of dates as well as photographs of himself.

Mr Griffiths said that Lewis sent one photo of himself topless and another photo of himself wearing no clothes on the bottom half of his body and told the decoy girl that he was engaging in a sexual act.

Mitigating, Robert Grey, told the court that Lewis had a 12-year-old daughter and that the offence took place at a time when Lewis was 'not in his right mind'.

He said Lewis currently had a job as a warehouse manager where he had been working for the past seven years.

Mr Grey said: "Fortunately, more through luck than intention, there really is no victim in this case.

"Is it necessary that he go immediately to prison when there are so many good things about him?"

He said Lewis had 'really learned his lesson' and felt 'shame' from the proceedings.

Judge Stephen Climie said: "You took it on yourself to engage in sexual activity or encouragement of sexual activity with someone you believed to be 13 years of age.

"If these communications had been with a real child, aged 13 years or below, I'm satisfied there would have been significant harm caused to them and their mental health."

Judge Climie sentenced Lewis to eight months imprisonment, suspended for two years, and he must undertake 60 hours of unpaid work and 30 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement days.

Lewis was given a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order and will be put on the sex offender register for 10 years.

He is to pay £456 in court costs and a £128 victim surcharge.