Man jailed for sending vile sexual messages to 13-year-old girl

Barry Warner, 51, was sentenced to 12 months in prison after pleading guilty to engaging in sexual communication with a child. Warner, a self-employed heating engineer, began chatting to the girl online, but the messages quickly became inappropriate. The girl, who was astute enough to suspect Warner's intentions, manipulated the conversation to ensure he incriminated himself.

Warner initially denied the accusations, claiming he thought he was chatting with the girl's mother. However, his excuses were quickly dismissed when the messages clearly showed he knew the girl's age.

Prosecutor Tom Watson stated: "The messages were manipulated by the defendant to become sexual in nature, such as asking to exchange pictures. The girl was one step ahead of him."

The court heard that the incident had a significant impact on the victim, causing anxiety, weight loss, and withdrawal.

Recorder Ian Unsworth QC, the presiding judge, condemned Warner's actions, stating: "Your motives were purely sexual and the messages were of a vile nature. When the game was up, you suggested she was lying, pretended it was a joke, and then pretended you didn't know the age of the victim when you knew you were dealing with a girl of 13."

Warner was sentenced to 12 months in prison, of which he must serve half. He was also placed on the sex offenders' register and given a restraining order, both lasting 10 years.