A TEENAGER contacted a child on Facebook and told her he wanted to die because no-one would date him before asking her to be his girlfriend.

Kieran O’Connor, 18, from Cwmbran, then sent his victim a naked picture of himself after sending her a friend request.

Jenny Yeo, prosecuting, told Newport Crown Court the girl sent the image on to a friend whose concerned mother contacted the police.

She said: “The defendant asked the girl if she wanted a boyfriend. She told him she was 11.

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“He told her he wanted to die because no one wanted to date him and that he just wanted to have a girlfriend.

“He asked her if she thought he was fit and sent her a photograph of him topless.”

Mrs Yeo said O’Connor then sent the girl an explicit picture of himself which she shared with her friend.

She added: “He said he wanted a hug and a kiss. She said she didn’t know and told him to get a girlfriend his own age.”

O’Connor, of Dorleigh Court, Thornhill, pleaded guilty to engaging in sexual communication with a child.

He has no previous convictions.

Laurence Jones, mitigating, said his client was a “young man with difficult issues”.

He added: “His parents are trying to keep him away from this type of incident.

“He has symptoms associated with autism. He knows he can’t repeat this type of behaviour.”

The court heard how O’Connor had been remanded in a young offender institution since he admitted the offence last month.

Mr Jones said: “He does not want to be in a custodial setting again. This has been a salutary lesson.

“Kieran has expressed in no way does he want to do this again.”

Judge Daniel Williams sentenced the defendant to a three-year community order and told him he would have to complete 30 days of the Horizon sex offender programme.

O’Connor will also have to do 120 hours of unpaid work and pay a £95 surcharge.

He will have to register as a sex offender for five years and will be the subject of a sexual harm prevention order until 2025.