Man caught by paedophile hunters is jailed
The judge described the conduct as ‘persistent and deliberate’
A man who wanted a supposed 14-year-old girl to dress up as Catwoman and perform sex acts has been jailed.
Daniel Gittins, 31, of no-fixed-abode, was sentenced at Shrewsbury Crown Court after admitting four charges.
Gittins had pleaded guilty to two counts of attempting to incite a child to look at an image of sexual activity, and two counts of engaging in sexual communication with a child.
The offences took place between July 2, 2023, and July 12, 2023.
Alexa Carrier, prosecuting, said the charges related to Gittins’ contacts with two social media profiles for girls under the age of 16, created by paedophile hunters.
She said both profiles had repeatedly told Gittins their supposed ages after he added them on the platform - one 14-years-old, and the other 13-years-old.
The court was told Gittins had asked the accounts to perform sex acts, and had sent them explicit videos and pictures, of himself and others.
One message had asked the account to have a bath, and was followed by a series of suggestive emojis - an aubergine, a peach, and water droplets.
Ms Carrier said he told one of the accounts that she would look good in a Catwoman costume before sending explicit videos and images.
Kevin Jones, mitigating, said the offending was “short-lived” and that there was “not perhaps the grooming one would usually see in this type of case”.
He added that Gittins had reflected on the offences and added that he was now pleased the victims turned out to be decoys and not real children.
Sentencing, Judge Trevor Meegan said: “These are not, when you stand back and look at this case as a whole, a fleeting lack of judgement, it is persistent and deliberate.”
He said the communications were “graphic” and that the items sent to the accounts included “explicit sexual material”.
He added: “It is of a concern to me that you continue to minimise your conduct and attribute your behaviour largely to crack cocaine use.”
Gittins was sentenced to 18 months in prison, and will be on the sex offenders’ register for 10 years.
He will also be made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order.