Richard Smith 35

Description

A convicted sex offender offered cash to have sex with an “11-year-old girl” unaware he was messaging an undercover police officer posing as the child’s aunt.

Richard Smith, 35, of Nixon Phillips Drive, Hindley Green, Wigan, told the officer: “Money isn’t a problem.”

The 35-year-old, who was subject to strict notification requirements at the time, first contacted the officer on the Chat IW website last August using the username “Whitestick”. The officer used the name “AuntofLil”, which denotes a female child to those in the know, Bolton Crown Court heard.

Smith claimed in his profile to be a 28-year-old from Aberdeen. He asked: “Oh hello, go on how old is she?” Told the “nieces” were 11 and 14, he moved the conversation to the encrypted app Teleguard, known to be used by paedophiles.

He asked for pictures of the girls, where they lived, and whether they were “innocent and naive”. When told they were in London he replied: “Oh it said Greater Manchester lmao fair enough tho I can travel to London.”

After a phone call discussing dates and money, Smith chose the £180 option and later offered £250 to “secure the slot” when told another client had already booked the Sunday. He described the 11-year-old as the “opportunity of a lifetime” and asked about a long-term arrangement. He responded with “a great deal of enthusiasm” to a Snapchat image of children’s underwear.

Smith did not finalise the meeting and was arrested a week later.

He pleaded guilty to arranging or facilitating a child sex offence and breaching notification requirements by failing to disclose his social media aliases.

The court heard he had been convicted in 2018 of engaging in sexual activity in the presence of a child after performing a sex act during a FaceTime call with a girl under 16, witnessed by her mother.

Defence barrister David Toal said Smith accepted sending the messages but stressed his “voluntary desistance”. “He drew back and that’s the reason why there’s no actual serious harm committed by him. He stopped because he chose to stop,” he told the court.

Recorder of Bolton Judge Nicholas Clarke KC sentenced Smith to six years’ imprisonment, imposed a sexual harm prevention order and ordered him to sign the sex offenders’ register for life. The judge described it as “quite alarming that such websites and facilities are available”.