Pervert who sent vile sex requests to 13-year-old over Kik and Snapchat denies being paedophile

James Clift from Seacroft claimed he was in the middle of a cocaine binge when he made contact with the profile online, which was uploaded by undercover police to trap predatory paedophiles.

Clift made contact with the decoy on June 29 last year and spent a week swapping messages. The “girl” made it clear several times she was just 13 and even told him she was messaging him from school.

Prosecutor Eddison Flint told Leeds Crown Court that the conversation became “graphic” with 35-year-old Clift discussing oral sex. He also suggested they meet.

Following his arrest, he denied any sexual interest in children during his police interview, saying he only liked women over 18. He told them he “got excitement but not sexual gratification” from the conversations with the decoy.

Clift, of Bolton Court, has no previous convictions. He admitted a charge of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child.

Mitigating, Rhianydd Clement: “He was using cocaine, it spiralled and he was using it secretively. He accepts he was addicted. He was on a cocaine binge at the time of his offending.

"He maintains he never intended to meet this individual. He strongly denies he has any sexual interest in children. He feels ashamed of the situation he has found himself in.”

Miss Clement said he had already sought help by enrolling on a course to tackle his behaviour, which was commended by Judge Kate Rayfield, who added: “It shows me you are prepared to to work on whatever caused you to do this in the first place. But I’m not sure you are being 100 per cent honest about how you ended up in this position.”

She gave him a two-year community order with 55 rehabilitation days with probation, and also told him he must to enrol on a 43-day sex offender programme. He was also given a five-year sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) to limit his internet use, and ordered him to sign the sex offender register for five years.