39-year-old posed as teenager for disgusting sex chat with what he believed was a 12-year-old girl
A 39-year-old man encouraged what he believed was a 12-year-old girl to take part in sexual acts, a court has heard.
Mark Buchinger, from Bridge Lane, Hanwood, was sentenced at Shrewsbury Crown Court this week after admitting two charges.
The 39-year-old pleaded guilty to attempting to cause or incite a girl under 13 into sexual activity, and attempting to cause or incite a girl aged 13 to 15 into sexual activity.
Both offences took place in July 2023.
The court head that Buchinger's depraved activities had been detected by an undercover police officer - posing online as a 12-year-old girl called 'Phoebe'.
The officer had set up a profile, with an avatar of a cartoon girl, on the app 'Chat Avenue', which is intended for teenagers.
Simon Parry, prosecuting, explained how Buchinger initiated contact and then detailed how the conversation 'escalated' - instigated by the defendant - and was moved onto the Snapchat app.
After he was arrested over the offences police searched both of Buchinger's mobile phones and found he had also been talking to a profile belonging to what appeared to be a 14-year-old girl on the 'Kik' app.
