Keith John William Scott jailed for sending sexually explicit Snapchats to police officer posing as teenage girl

A 38-year-old who sent graphic sexual Snapchats to a 13-year-old girl has denied having ‘pedophilic tendencies’ after he was busted trying to arrange a meeting.

After days of sending graphic, sexually explicit messages and photos to a 13-year-old girl, a 38-year-old married man said he would be her “secret boyfriend” and asked meet up with her.

Unbeknown to Darra man Keith William John Scott, the “sickening” messages were actually going to a police officer posing as a teenager.

Scott, then 37, began talking to the ‘teenager’ online and on Snapchat and sent her sexual messages and graphic photos between February 13 – 17, 2021.

He would send her messages telling her he wanted to take her to his home and engage in sexual activity, the Brisbane District Court heard on Monday.

In one message Scott told the girl he could be “your secret boyfriend.”

Scott asked to meet up with the girl and organised to see her at Darra, even telling her what she should wear to see him.

However when he arrived, Scott was greeted by police officers.

The court heard he threw his phone towards a nearby car and was detained.

When police searched his house, they also found a tablet with Snapchat and the ‘teenager’s’ contact saved.

Scott pleaded guilty to one count of using the internet to procure children under 16 and intentionally meeting or going to meet a child.

His wife of five years supported him in court as he faced sentencing for the “deviant” behaviour.

The court heard Scott suffered a brain injury as a child which impaired his intellect and caused him to speak slowly and have some cognitive issues.

Judge Michael Burnett said Scott had also been dealt with in the Richlands Magistrates Court for relevant previous offending.

About five months before the current offences, Scott was sentenced for filming a woman showering in a cubicle at a caravan park where he was living at the time.

The court heard the woman had looked down and saw a mobile phone aimed into her cubicle and he was given 120 hours of community service for the “opportunistic” offence.

Scott’s defence barrister said his client exhibited some autistic traits and was recently diagnosed with attention deficit disorder, and had been prescribed dexamphetamines.

He said due to these factors Scott had never been employed but was on a disability support pension.

Scott also denied having pedophilic tendencies and was remorseful for his actions.

In his sentencing remarks, Judge Burnett said Scott’s brain injury, mental health and dexamphetamine use were not excuses or causes but did provide some explanation for his “deviancy”.

He said Scott’s behaviour was “generally sickening” and that it didn’t matter that ultimately no child had been harmed, as that was “plainly” Scott’s intent.

He added that Scott should “satisfy his sexual appetite within his marriage” not by seeking out a minor as he had.

Judge Burnett found there were no exceptional circumstances as to why Scott should not be imprisoned.

Scott was sentenced to 18 months in prison to be suspended for three years after he serves three months.