Golden Beach man Josh English pleads guilty to paying 14yo girl for sex

A Sunshine Coast delivery driver has been released from custody after he met a young girl on Snapchat and paid her for sex before trying to meet up with another child, who was an undercover cop.

Joshua George English faced Maroochydore District Court on Monday. Picture: Facebook

An Uber Eats driver will be released from custody after he paid a 14-year-old girl for sex after meeting her on Snapchat.

Joshua George English had spent almost two years in custody after the Sunshine Coast Child Protection Unit and Taskforce Argos raided his home on June 7, 2022 during their investigation into his abhorrent abuse of a young girl he met online.

Maroochydore District Court heard the now 28-year-old met the 14-year-old on social media in early 2022 and asked if she wanted money.

Crown prosecutor Alex Stark said English persistently messaged the girl in sexualised conversations for two months including asking her if she was a virgin.

Mr Stark said the girl told him she was 14-years-old and he said he was 18-years-old, even though at the time he was in his mid 20s.

English arranged to pay the girl after negotiating a price of $100 and went to her home where they had sex.

Joshua George English spent almost two years on remand. Picture: Facebook

The prosecutor said the child blocked him briefly however spoke to him during the April school holidays where he tried to bargain with her for sex again.

The court was told the child agreed to a cash deal for “everything except anal sex”.

Mr Stark said the girl snuck out late at night and was picked up by English, who had previously asked her to wear her school uniform but she did not.

He parked a few houses down and sexually abused her, the court heard.

His offending came to light after the victim told her parents and a school counsellor, with police sparking an investigation.

An undercover officer masqueraded as a 13-year-old girl and spoke to English on Snapchat as well, where he also wanted to pay her cash for sexual acts.

His Golden Beach home was raided where a small amount of marijuana was found, along with one video of child exploitation material on one of his devices.

The court heard English had a good upbringing but had experienced “personal difficulties” in his early years, including the death of a close friend.

Defence barrister Victoria Trafford-Walker said the former Uber Eats worker had an offer of employment as a plasterer upon his release.

Ms Trafford-Walker said English was remorseful and showed insight. She said he also experienced a harsher time on remand in protective custody, with the court hearing he was in his cell for 20 hours a day and slept on a mattress on the floor.

Judge Gary Long accepted English’s remorse and regret and hoped he had a better understanding of the “abhorrence” of an adult procuring a child and paying them for sex.

English pleaded guilty to six charges including two counts of carnal knowledge of a child under 16, possessing child exploitation material and using the internet to procure a child under 16.

The District Court Judge jailed English for 685 days but with time served, meant he would be released from custody on Monday.

He was also sentenced to 12 months’ probation.

No convictions were recorded for possessing dangerous drugs and possessing child exploitation material.