Connor Saint pleads guilty to grooming child under 16 by exposing to indecent matter
A Sunshine Coast computer worker has been caught in a police sting where he sexted an undercover officer who masqueraded as a 13-year-old girl, and tried to solicit naked photos.
Police & Courts
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A Mountain Creek computer repair worker will not go to jail after trying to procure sexual photos from a young girl online, only to find out she was actually an undercover police officer.
The covert sting led to a raid on Connor Alexander Alloyu Saint’s home where he was charged with grooming a child under 16 by exposing to indecent matter, an offence he pleaded guilty to in Maroochydore District Court on Monday.
Crown prosecutor Nicola Hamilton said Saint spoke to who he believed was a 13-year-old girl from March 3 to March 22, 2023 after the fictional identity added him on Snapchat.
The police operation spanned 20 days, where they spoke about gaming before the conversation became sexually charged after she told him she was 13-years-old. He told her he was 16-years-old.
Saint asked the fictional child if she wanted to see his penis, if she wanted to see him ejaculate and if she would show him her breasts, the court heard.
The child deflected the requests, on one occasion telling the 25-year-old she was only 13.
“That’s okay,” Saint replied.
Ms Hamilton said the Mountain Creek man went on to send the fictional child a minute long video of him masturbating.
Saint later told the child he was actually 24-years-old and if she liked the video. He then asked for another naked photo of her.
The 25-year-old did not however try to meet the child, the court heard.
Their conversations stopped on March 21, 2023, with police executing a search warrant at his home on July 17, 2023.
He made admissions to police where he said his conduct was wrong but denied liking young girls.
Ms Hamilton accepted the undercover officer befriended Saint to begin with, and how he stopped talking to the fake child before police were involved.
Defence barrister Mark Dixon said the 25-year-old had made substantial efforts of rehabilitation through psychologists, and had a supportive upbringing.
Mr Dixon said Saint had been grappling with grief after the death of his mother and grandmother, and lived with autism and other mental health conditions.
He said Saint’s offending acted as a catalyst for Saint to mature and make positive choices. He also showed remorse.
The defence barrister said it was a short period of “abhorrent behaviour” and was more opportunistic than predatory.
The court heard Saint was experiencing a period of social isolation, loneliness and rejection at the time and tried to seek relationships online, however found they weren’t authentic.
Judge Michael Byrne said Saint’s response was to assert his dominance by becoming opinionated and making outspoken comments, but this was described in court documents as a “fruitless search” for interpersonal reactions.
Saint was sentenced to a two year probation order and must complete 80 hours of community service. No conviction was recorded.
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