Judge tells online South Yorkshire pervert he will have "damaged" a young teenager for life

Sheffield Crown Court heard on May 25 how Thomas Finney, aged 27, of Birks Holt Drive, in Maltby, Rotherham, contacted the youngster online when she was aged between 13 and 14 years old, and sent her sexual messages and images.

Andrew Bailey, prosecuting, said Finney sent the complainant an image of a man and woman having intercourse and discussed sex with the youngster, and he also sent her an image of his private parts.

Judge Rachael Harrison told Finney: “This was a real child who was vulnerable. I accept you did not target her because of that but there was a significant difference between your age and hers and you communicated with her in a highly sexual way over three-and-a-half months.”

Mr Bailey also said Finney had discussed meeting with the youngster and had told her he was moving to a new address and she would have to come and live with him.

Finney, who has unrelated previous convictions, pleaded guilty to communicating sexually with a child between January, 2019, and April, 2019.

Francis Edusei, defending, told the court: “This is a man who needs help. He is able to stay away from the court and he is not heavily convicted and he does respond to help in the community to keep away from buildings like this.”

Mr Edusei added that Finney, who has the support of his family, has not committed any further offences since this matter.

Judge Harrison sentenced Finney to a two-year community order with a rehabilitation requirement and a £100 fine, and told him if he does not take the help offered he will go to prison.

She said: "If you come back I will send you to prison. Do you understand? If you do not do what I have just ordered you will go to prison. Do you understand?

"Do not come back. Do not talk to people on the internet about sexual matters.

"This was a child. You will have damaged her for life. If I see you again, you will go to prison.”

Finney was also made subject to the Sex Offenders Register and to a Sexual Harm Prevention Order for the same period.