Ronald Gary Dubois pleaded guilty to grooming a ‘14-year-old girl’ on Kik

A Bowland employee took the day off work to meet up with a “14-year-old girl” he had been grooming online. But he was met by police.

A father who believed he was chatting to a 14-year-old girl online admitted to police he may have sexually abused her if she was real, a court heard.

Ronald Gary Dubois, 55, took the day off work to meet up with the fictitious child but was met by police instead.

Laura Brown, for the prosecution, told the District Court Dubois joined a group called ‘Adelaide Teens’ on the social media application Kik in November.

“The defendant initiated the private message conversation with the covert officer who was purporting to be a 14-year-old girl,” she said.

Ms Brown said Dubois acknowledged the age difference between them, saying no-one could find out about it and they shouldn’t be doing it.

Ronald Dubois will be sentenced later this month for communicating to make a child amenable to sexual activity. Photo: Facebook

“The defendant was engaging in grooming communications, calling the covert officer ‘sweet,’ ‘sexy’, ‘cute’, cutie’ and telling her how much he liked speaking with her,” she said.

Ms Brown said Dubois took the day off work in order to meet up with who he believed to be the 14-year-old girl at the Salisbury Interchange.

The court heard Dubois admitted to police in an interview he might have gone through with the sexual intercourse with the child.

Ms Brown said Dubois’ offending wasn’t particularly sophisticated as he used his middle name on the Kik account and sent a photo of his face.

Dubois, of pleaded guilty to multiple counts of communicating to make a child amenable to sexual activity and possessing child exploitation material.

Nick Vadasz, for Dubois, told the court his client’s marriage broke down and he turned to the internet.

“He was an extremely lonely person, which does not in any way justify entering into this supposed relationship with a child but explains why he found himself trawling various sites and ended up on this particular site,” Mr Vadasz said.

Mr Vadasz said there was nothing forceful or pushy about Dubois’ approach and when they first started talking about catching up, Dubois said “we don’t have to do anything if you don’t want”.

The court heard Dubois was a father and had previously worked at a Bowland ten-pin bowling franchise before being taken into custody.

Dubois read an apology letter to the court.

“I’m embarrassed, ashamed at my poor choices and I’m having difficulties in forgiving myself for this,” he said.

“My poor decisions could have led to an individual and their family having to deal with the consequences and this would have been lifelong.

“For that I cannot apologise enough.

“I can’t even begin to imagine just how difficult that would be to have that burden for life by the actions of someone else.”

Dubois will be sentenced later this month.