A 47-YEAR-OLD who a judge described as “a sad individual” has avoided jail after asking who he thought was a 13-year-old girl to send him “intimate” pictures of herself.

Between June and September last year, Jonathan Davies, of Alexandra Road in Six Bells, Abertillery, used the ChatU social media site to speak with a ‘girl’ named Amy – who was in fact an undercover police officer.

“As part of the conversation, Mr Davies asked ‘Amy’ about her school uniform and asked if she wore a short skirt,” prosecutor Cat Jones said.

The court heard that ‘Amy’ told Davies she was 13, but he continued to ask her about her underwear.

He also asked her “Do you like dares?”, before asking her to send pictures of herself, which ‘Amy’ refused to do, Ms Jones said.

On one occasion, ‘Amy’ asked what Davies was thinking about, and he replied with the letters “SX”.

‘Amy’ again told Davies that she was in year eight in school, but the conversation continued, and he followed her Instagram profile.

Cardiff Crown Court heard that Davies messaged ‘Amy’ on seven days between June and September 2021.

He had been posing as a 21-year-old, and had sent a picture of a teenage boy in an attempt to deceive ‘Amy’, the court was told.

Davies was arrested on October 20 and his devices were seized and searched.

Ms Jones said Davies told officers “he may have been talking to children online and the conversation may have been sexual.”

Officers found internet searches for ‘school girls’, and “157 indicative images were found” on his computer.

Davies, who has no previous convictions, admitted one count of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child.

Julia Cox, defending, said the pre-sentence report painted “a sad picture”.

“He lost his parents at a relatively young age. This has had an adverse effect on him,” she said.

“The root of the offending was loneliness during the Covid-19 pandemic.”

Ms Cox said that Davies’ remaining family had distanced themselves from him since his arrest.

The court heard that Davies lived alone in his parents’ old house, and was “on the internet a lot”.

“Even before the offences, police welfare checks were being carried out as no-one had seen you for some time,” said Recorder Richard Booth, while summing up.

Ms Cox told the court that Davies had removed himself from social media and “would not go back to that form of communication with anybody”.

Addressing the defendant, Recorder Booth said: “Jonathan Davies, you are a sad individual with an unfortunate interest in young girls.

“You were soliciting images from what you thought was a 13-year-old girl.

“There was contact on repeated occasions, which continued when you knew she was only 13.”

Davies was sentenced to eight months imprisonment, suspended for two years.

He must complete 50 days rehabilitation activity requirement, and must pay a £500 fine and a £154 surcharge.

He was made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order, and must register as sex offender – both for 10 years.