March 2022 Burnley paedophile was chatting to a decoy A military veteran sent a lewd picture of himself to a ’12-year-old girl’ and encouraged her to engage in sexual activities. Michael Parker began communicating with ‘Kaitlyn’ – who was actually an undercover police officer – after sending a friend request to her account on the social media platform Kik in 2020. Over 47 pages of messages, the 42-year-old encouraged the decoy, who he believed was a real 12-year-old girl, to touch herself and to send him images of her. He also sent a moving picture of his penis to her. Opening the case, prosecutor Peter Barr said: “The officer in this case took on the guise of Kaitlyn, a 12-year-old girl, who then goes into various chatrooms and there is a conversation with this defendant. “The first communication took place on November 25 when Kaitlyn accepted a friend request from the defendant on a Kik. “The defendant then said to her – ‘I’m guessing you may still be a V’ – before clarifying that ‘V’ meant virgin.” Mr Barr goes on to say that there was a conversation about the girl’s age, confirming that Parker knew she was underage. The father-of-two was later arrested and questioned, where he answered no comment in interview. He also has no previous convictions. Dealing with the father-of-two, Recorder Nicholas Clarke QC said: “It is clear that you embraced those conversations and steered them in a sexual way, encouraging that person to engage in sexual activity. “It is clear from the conversations that I have seen – there are no less than 47 pages of messages – that you not only drove the conversation in that direction but did actively encourage sexual activity by that person. “You were not to know – and it was part of the saving grace of this case – that no child was actually involved. It was a decoy undercover police officer.” He added: “You have served your country in the army and you are obviously suitably ashamed. I have seen many reports and letters about you. “This is a sentence that normally you would have to serve however as your advocate has persuaded me you are highly motivated to seek help, to engage with those who can steer you on the right course. It is quite clear that you can be dealt with in the community.” Having pleaded to enciting a child to engage in sexual activity, Parker, of Upperbrook Court, Burnley, was jailed for 18 months, suspended for two years. He must complete 30 days of rehabilitation activity requirement and he has been made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order.