Pervert posed as a teenager online to get image of 10 year old girl

A pervert was arrested after he pretended to be a 15-year-old boy online in order to obtain an indecent image of a 10-year-old girl.

A court heard Philip Tate, 42, then shared the image with a woman via an internet messaging site.

West Yorkshire Police executed a search warrant at Tate’s home in August 2014 after being made aware that he had been using his Instagram account to upload indecent images of children.

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Leeds Crown Court heard Tate then handed his iPhone over to officers and they found 16 illegal images.

Officers also discovered that he had made internet searches for images using the term “pre-teen”.

The court heard Tate had pretended to be a 15-year-old old schoolboy and engaged in an online conversation with someone he believed to be a girl aged 10.

Tate, of Farrier Way, Robin Hood, pleaded guilty to one offence of attempting to incite a child to engage in sexual activity, 11 offences of making an indecent image of a child and one of distributing an indecent image of a child.

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Jeremy Barton, mitigating, said Tate had initially denied that he received sexual gratification from the images but now accepts that he did and is seeking help to address his offending.

Mr Barton said Tate was ashamed of what he had done and urged judge Penelope Belcher to impose a community-based punishment so he can continue to receive treatment.

He added: “He needs help dealing with the sexual part of his offences.”

Tate was made the subject of a 36 month activity order during which he must take part in a 60-day activity requirement.

He was also told he must go on the sex offenders register for five years.