Serial paedophile to be released from prison, must report for rest of his life

A diagnosed paedophile’s quest for nudes from teenagers unravelled when the 15-year-old he was speaking to turned out to be a cop. He‘s set to be released after 13 months behind bars.

A diagnosed paedophile who asked a girl, 16, to sexually reveal herself to him online, then travelled from Dalby to Brisbane to meet a 15-year-old, will be released from prison.

But Colin Jon Crawford, 51, who has spent 13 months behind bars, will have to report his address and other personal details to police for the rest of his life.

Crawford pleaded guilty to using a carriage service to solicit child exploitation material, grooming a child and using the internet to procure a child he intended to meet.

Crawford must report addresses and personal details for the rest of his life.

In May last year, Crawford sent a Snapchat message to the niece of a woman he knew, asking her: “Can I see your p**sy?”, Brisbane District Court heard.

He told the 16-year-old not to tell, making sure his offending remained concealed, Crown prosecutor Matt Hynes said.

After the girl told her father, police spoke to Crawford but did not immediately charge him.

But a short time later he was arrested as a result of a police sting, after exchanging Facebook messages with an undercover officer posing as a girl, 15.

Crawford sent the “girl” a photo of his p***s and asked her to show him a nude photo of herself.

After exchanging messages a number of times over 17 days, making sexually explicit comments, he arranged to meet her for sexual activity.

Crawford, who had a previous history of sex offending, was arrested after he arrived at the agreed Brisbane meeting place.

Mr Hynes said Crawford was a diagnosed paedophile with urges he could not control at times.

Crawford also pleaded guilty to three breaches of reporting conditions.

They involved him not reporting that he had a number of social media apps and not reporting his contact with the 16-year-old girl or that he had an account with a dating website.

Crawford asked and undercover cop posing as a teen to send him nude photos. Picture: File

Judge Glen Cash said Crawford had been sexually attracted to young people since his teenage years and he had a borderline intellectual disability that led to his sex offending.

He had been assessed as being a moderate to high risk of reoffending.

Crawford has previously been on medication to suppress his sexual urges while in custody, but told his lawyer it did not always work.

Crawford was sentenced on Tuesday to three years’ jail, immediately suspended after the 13 months he had already spent in custody, but operational for three years.

He also was sentenced to three years’ probation with a special condition that he undergo any medical, psychiatric or psychological treatment that was directed.

He also was placed on a $1000 three-year good behaviour bond.

Judge Cash said Crawford would be a reportable offender for the rest of his life as a result of his latest convictions.

The court heard his immediate release from jail meant Crawford could attend the funeral of his mother, who died last week, on Thursday.