A 41-year-old man has pleaded guilty to multiple child sex offenses in Worcester, England.

Dean Taylor, of Sawmill Close, Worcester, attempted to engage in sexually explicit conversations with a person he believed to be a 13-year-old girl. In reality, he was communicating with undercover officers from the Metropolitan Police, who use the Kik social media platform to target sex offenders and protect children online.

Taylor appeared before magistrates in Worcester on Thursday, where he admitted to four sexual offenses:

• Attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child (believed to be 13 years old) for sexual gratification between February 14, 2019 and June 22, 2019.
• Two charges of attempting to cause or incite a girl aged 13-15 to engage in sexual activity during the same period.
• Attempting to cause a child aged 13-15 to view images of sexual activity between the same dates.

The details of the offenses are too graphic to be printed in full but involved Taylor inciting the 'child' to perform sexual acts, take and send sexually explicit photos, and send a video depicting a male engaging in a sexual act.

Mark Hambling, prosecuting, stated that Taylor was caught during an online operation conducted by the Metropolitan Police using the Kik platform. The 13-year-old child Taylor was communicating with "does not exist."

Sentencing guidelines suggest a starting point of 18 months in prison for attempted sexual communication with a child, with a range of 9 to 24 months possible. Causing or inciting a child has a starting point of 26 weeks with a range from a high-level community order to three years' custody.

Mr. Hambling added that Taylor is now required to register as a sex offender and that the case will be sent to Worcester Crown Court for sentencing on Friday, May 13. Taylor was granted unconditional bail until then.