Derbyshire pervert snared by undercover police officer

Derby Crown Court heard how father-of-three Nathan Smith claimed to be a 21-year-old firefighter when he asked the ‘girl’ if she had ever seen a picture of male genitalia before.

When ‘she’ replied that she hadn’t, he sent the vile image over the internet saying she was ‘sexy’ and referring to himself as ‘daddy’.

Handing Smith, a three-year community order, Judge Shaun Smith QC said: “In this particular case there were no physical victims because it was a police officer acting undercover.

“But what the police officers are doing is seeking to protect young people who are persuaded by people like you to participate in this kind of conversation and receive the kind of disgusting photograph you sent to ‘Ruby’.”

Siward James-Moore, prosecuting, said the offence dates back to June 7, 2017 when the officer set up the profile for ‘Ruby’ making it clear from the fake profile picture that was used she was a girl aged around 12.

She said Smith, of Market Street, Ilkeston, sent a message to ‘her’ saying he was called Mark Smith and went on to ‘fantasise about what he would do to her’. Mr James-Moore said police obtained the 29-year-old’s internet address from the online messages and went to his home on July 4, 2017 and arrested him.

In his interview, Smith denied the offence even when he was shown the image of the male private part on his phone.

However, on the day his trial was about to begin, he pleaded guilty to one count of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child.

Smith must also carry out 100 hours’ unpaid work, 30 rehabilitation days and 90 hours on a specified sex offender rehabilitation programme.

He has also been placed on the sex offenders register for five years and handed a five-year sexual harm prevention order.

Laura Pitman, mitigating, said since the offence, almost two years ago, her client had not committed any offences of any kind.

She also asked that his mobile phone, which was seized by the police, is not destroyed as it “contains photographs of his three children”.

- This story first appeared on Derbyshire Live