26yo Warwick man sends 14yo girl indecent pics, video

When police confronted him he said photos of the girl ‘just appeared’ on his lock screen and blamed hackers.

A Warwick man, 26, has fronted court after sending indecent material to a 14-year-old girl.

A WARWICK man has pleaded guilty to sending a 14-year-old girl he met on social media indecent pictures and a video.

Travis Lindsay Thomas, 26, first asked the girl to send him a picture of her in a bra in December last year and asked her to be his girlfriend, a court heard.
The girl reminded Thomas, who was 25 at the time, she was only 14 but sent him the photo as requested.

The Warwick Magistrates Court heard Thomas later told the girl "I know you are only 14 but can I see your boobs, please?"

He then asked the girl about her breast size and told her he was "playing with his d---" and asked if she would like to see it.
Despite the girl not replying, he later sent her a close-up shot of a man in boxer shorts, another of an erect penis and a video of a man masturbating.
When police arrived at his home, Thomas denied all contact with the girl and said his phone "must have been hacked".
Police questioned him as to why his phone's lock and home screen images were two photos of the girl in question and he said he couldn't explain it and "they just appeared there".

Thomas was supported in court by his mother, who said her son had a severe intellectual impairment that left him with the mental capacity of a 12-year-old.
Defence lawyer Clare Hine said she believed Thomas' offending was largely due to a lack of both education about the risks of engaging online and strong male role models.

She said Thomas no longer used any social media and his mother had removed all access to the internet.

Thomas pleaded guilty to two counts of grooming a child.

Magistrate Julian Noud impressed upon Thomas the seriousness of his offending and said his charges were those that usually resulted in jail time.

Mr Noud said in determining his judgment he took into account Thomas' intellectual disability, future work prospects and the burden that would be placed on his mother as his carer if he were to be classed a reportable offender.

Thomas was placed on two years' probation and no conviction was recorded.

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