A Royal Wootton Bassett man who attempted to engage in sexual communication with what he believed to be a 13-year-old girl has been sentenced to a suspended prison term.

Pietro Rossi, 60, of Ruxley Close, was communicating with a profile on the internet chat room CHATiw between 27 April and 1 June 2020. The profile claimed to be a 13-year-old girl, but was in fact an undercover officer from the South West Regional Organised Crime Unit.

Prosecutor Robin Shellard told Salisbury Crown Court that Rossi sent numerous pictures of his erect penis and pornography showing females engaged in oral sex. He continued the conversation on the messaging app Kik, where he told the "girl" he wanted to sexually abuse her and requested "naughty pictures" of her bottom.

Rossi also asked the "girl" sexualised questions, including whether or not she had digitally penetrated herself before. However, he later discovered that he had been communicating with an undercover officer when police arrived at his home with a warrant in October 2021.

Rossi pleaded guilty to attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child in June 2021. Defense barrister Christopher Pix argued that Rossi's behavior was "very, very out of character" and that he was having a "breakdown" at the time of the offending due to the ending of an abusive marriage and his highly stressful job. Rossi expressed remorse and said he wanted to apologize.

Judge Barnett sentenced Rossi to 12 months in prison, suspended for 18 months, to allow him to get the help he "badly needs". The judge stressed that Rossi's personal life issues were "no excuse" for his actions and that his attempt to obtain images from someone he believed to be a child was "plainly deliberate".

In addition to the suspended sentence, Rossi was ordered to complete 45 rehabilitation activity requirement days, 80 hours of unpaid work in the community, and was placed on a 10-year sexual harm prevention order. He will also have to register as a sex offender for ten years.