Steven Lovell: Quakers Hill man denies grooming girl for sex
A western Sydney man who has admitted to soliciting child abuse material online will stand trial over the alleged grooming of 14-year-old girl for sex.
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A western Sydney man who police allege tried to groom a 14-year-old girl online for sex has denied the charge, but has admitted to soliciting child abuse material.
Steven Phillip Lovell, 38, of Quakers Hill, will fight a charge of using a carriage service to procure a child under 16 years of age for sex after pleading not guilty at Penrith District Court on Friday.
However, he has admitted to two charges, including using a carriage service to transmit indecent material to a person under 16 and soliciting child abuse material via a carriage service.
Mr Lovell was arrested by police in December after he allegedly engaged in sexually-explicit online communications with undercover police using the identity of a 14-year-old girl between September 19 and October 8, 2019.
Police allege Mr Lovell wrote about sexual acts he wished to perform on the teen and sent indecent material, while knowing her to be underage.
It’s further alleged on September 24 last year, Mr Lovell solicited child abuse material using a carriage service.
On October 9, Mr Lovell was arrested by Strike Force Trawler Detectives at his Quakers Hill home, where computers, electronic devices and a mobile phone were seized.
He was released on bail in February after a successful application in the Supreme Court.
He will stand trial on the child grooming charge in June next year. The court heard the trial could take up to five days.
A sentencing date for the other charges is yet to be set down.