JOSH VARLEY

YORK SEX OFFENDER CAUGHT IN SOCIAL MEDIA POLICE STING

A York man who tried to get a 12-year-old boy to send him sexual selfies has been given a suspended prison sentence.

Josh Varley, 30, had 259 indecent images of children on his mobile phone including 53 of the most serious category, Kaye Barnard, prosecuting, told York Magistrates' Court.

He sent a sexual image of himself to the social media profile of a 12-year-old boy and for three weeks held sexual chats with it.

But the profile was not operated by a boy.

It was run by a police officer masquerading as a 12-year-old boy and Varley was arrested, said Ms Barnard.

Varley, of Blatchford Mews, Clifton, pleaded guilty to attempted sexual communication with a child and three charges of having indecent images of children.

He cried in the dock as deputy district judge Imran Hussain told him: “Child abuse is evil, it is abhorrent and cruel and this is part of it.” He gave him a 12-month prison sentence, but suspended it for 18 months on condition Varley does a rehabilitation programme for sex offenders, 10 days’ rehabilitative activities and 60 hours’ unpaid work.

Varley must pay a £187 statutory surcharge and £85 prosecution costs.

He will be on the sex offenders’ register and subject to a sexual harm prevention order curbing his activities online, protecting children from him and enabling police to monitor him.