Hartlepool pervert jailed for sexually explicit Snapchat conversations with three teenage girls

Ian Palmer, 41, secretly exchanged messages on Snapchat with three girls who said they were aged 13 and 15.

He lied about his age, asked them for pictures and made a series of highly sexual comments.

Teesside Crown Court heard police were alerted by the National Crime Agency after reports the user of a Kik messenger account traced to Palmer had uploaded an indecent video of a child to the internet.

Palmer’s mobile phone was analysed. Although no illegal images were found on it, Jonathan Harley, prosecuting, said: “Officers discovered that a Snapchat app was installed and a series of conversations were identified as being indicative of sexual communication with children.”

Palmer used the name Lee Wilson on the app and swapped messages and asked for pictures from someone who said she was 15.

He said he was 16 and in response to one picture he said ‘Oh my God you’re mint’ and said he would like to have sex with her.

Palmer asked another girl who said she was 15 if she had had sex with her boyfriend. He claimed he was also 15 and is believed to have sent her an intimate photo of himself.

The court heard he also exchanged messages with another person who said she 13 and called her ‘cute as’.

None of the girls were traced as Palmer fully admitted to police what he did.

He pleaded guilty to three counts of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child.

In a pre-sentence report Palmer denied being attracted to children, something the judge said was “nonsense”.

Palmer of Lynmouth Walk, Hartlepool, was previously given sex offender treatment after being convicted of sexual assault a number of years ago.

Rod Hunt, mitigating, said his client had succumbed to old temptations and behaviour after having time on his hands.

Judge Jonathan Carroll said: “There was no misunderstanding or misinterpreting what you said and what you meant.

"You have sexual desires which you are not able to control.”

Judge Carroll said Palmer was not really willing to accept help and the only option was to jail him for 12 months.