Newcastle pervert caught twice by police sending sexually explicit messages to teenagers

A pervert who believed he was sending sexually explicit messages to two teenagers has avoided prison.

Karl Johnston, 31, contacted a 13-year-old boy through an online forum in December last year, but it was actually a fake profile created by police. Newcastle Crown Court heard Johnston said he was a 14-year-old boy and sent a series of messages.

He asked, “Are your breasts big?” and wrote, “I’m horny,” the court heard. He also asked if she wanted to have sex with him, the court heard.

When Johnston was visited by police officers, he discovered that the profile was actually a police operation. But while the court case was still pending, Johnston was again caught attempting to communicate sexually with a child.

The Children’s Online Safety Team had created a profile for a 14-year-old, the court heard. Johnston contacted the boy between May 31 and June 3 this year. Pictures were exchanged in the chat, the court was told.

In passing sentence, Judge Dapinder Singh said: “You have stated that you did not believe it was a trap.”

Johnston, of Beaconsfield Street, Newcastle, pleaded guilty to two counts of attempted sexual contact with a child. He was given a 12-month suspended prison sentence.