North Shields pervert avoids jail after sex chat with decoy 13-year-old on Snapchat

Gavin Noble thought he was communicating with a schoolgirl on the social media site but he was actually messaging a law enforcement officer who was pretending to be the teen.

Newcastle Crown Court heard that Noble sent pictures of his privates to the profile and asked her to send similar content.

Prosecutor Neil Jones said the 25-year-old, who had a user name of Gav followed by a number of z's, engaged in conversation of a ‘sexualised manner’.

He sent explicit pictures of himself as well as messages including 'let's see your bum' and 'can I see your a**.'

The court heard the decoy did tell Noble of her age and that he could block her if he wished to.

Instead, he replied: “No we are not doing anything so it's fine.”

The conversation later ended and Noble, of Grey Street, North Shields, was arrested.

He pleaded guilty to attempting to incite a girl aged 13 to engage in sexual activity.

Judge Timothy Gittins told him: You were engaged in a Snapchat exchange with a person you believed to be a 13-year-old girl in the winter of last year in late November and early December - 13 when you were 25.

"You were invited early on to stop that conversation. 'Block me if the age is a problem' in terms. You continued with that sexualised conversation, seeking images and video images of that of a 13-year-old girl and sending your own unsolicited images of a sexual activity of your own in a disgusting way."

The judge accepted Noble had shown evidence of learning difficulties and told him he was just willing to avoid sending him straight to prison.

He sentenced him to 16 months suspended to 18 months with rehabilitation days to be carried out.

Mark Harrison, defending, said: “The defendant is acutely ashamed of his behaviour. He has sat with his mother while we've gone through all of the documents in the case.

"She was shocked and horrified at the behaviour which has caused him to appear (at Crown Court)."

Mr Harrison added that there was only one conversation involved and there had been a degree of encouragement by the decoy.

The court heard Noble had been in a ‘poor state of mind’ at the time.

He was also made to sign the sex offender's register for ten years.