A PAEDOPHILE sent sexual messages and a picture of his penis to who he thought was a 12-year-old girl he was messaging on Facebook.

Prosecutor Alycia Carpanini said Dyfed-Powys Police were contacted by a member of the group STOP on August 27, 2022, with evidence against Trevor Ryan Evans, who goes by the name Ryan Evans.

The court heard that a member of the group had a decoy account on Facebook posing as a 12-year-old girl, and Evans messaged the decoy on August 8, 2022.

Evans was told early in the conversation by the decoy that she was a 12-year-old girl living in Scotland. He replied that he was a 21-year-old living in Wales.

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Evans asked the decoy for a picture of themselves, and the decoy sent a photo of themself which had been digitally de-aged to make them look 12, Ms Carpanini said. To this, Evans replied “You look cute”.

The defendant insisted the decoy keep their conversation secret, messaging: “Keep it between us baby”, and continued over the following days to message her saying she was “sexy”.

Evans messaged the decoy sexually explicit questions, asked the decoy what they were wearing, and sent “suggestive” pictures of himself.

He also asked the decoy if she wanted to see his penis, and “a short time after sent a picture of his penis”, Ms Carpanini said.

Evans, of Gorsgoch, was arrested on September 1, 2022, and gave a no comment interview.

The defendant had no previous convictions at the time of the offence, but has since been convicted of having a bladed article in a public place.

He pleaded guilty to attempted sexual communication with a child.

“Plainly the custody threshold is passed,” admitted Stuart John, in mitigation.

Mr John noted the delay in the case coming before the court.

“The defendant was 21 years old when this offence was committed,” he said. “There is his age, and plainly a lack of maturity,”

He said Evans had “a strong prospect of rehabilitation, adding “with the support of his parents he is trying to make those changes”.

“It is clear to me that rehabilitation is desperately needed here,” said Judge Catherine Richards.

“You have been working well with probation so far.”

She sentenced Evans to 11 months, suspended for two years. As part of this, he must complete 35 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

Evans, now 24, must register as a sex offender for 10 years, and was made the subject of a 10-year sexual harm prevention order.