A CHESTER man believed he was chatting with a 13-year-old girl online – but 'she' was actually an undercover Cheshire police officer.

David Walker, 54, of Abbotts Close, Waverton, had previously pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity to engaging in sexual conversation with two people he believed were children.

At Chester Crown Court on Friday, September 17, Walker was handed a suspended sentence and placed on the sex offenders register.

Prosecuting, James Coutts said one of the two people Walker had been communicating with was '13-year-old Sophie', who was actually an undercover Cheshire police officer who had set up a profile on Kik Messneger.

The second person identified themselves as a 15-year-old girl from Florida, and the prosecution had been unable to verify if that account was by a real 15-year-old girl.

The court heard Walker began communicating with 'Sophie' online in February 2019. He identified himself as 'Dave' and said he was '44', while she reminded him about her profile message, for people not to send her pictures.

Walker and 'Sophie' engaged in a series of chats over several days on Kik and Skype. While the conversations were largely non-sexualised, there was an occasion when Walker showed 'Sophie' a sexualised photo of himself, having told her to keep it a secret. Upon showing the photo, he sent the message: "Sorry if you don't like it".

When Walker was arrested in May 2019, the computer was seized and, among the chat logs, was evidence of Walker chatting to an account said to be a 15-year-old girl in Florida, where the conversation had become sexualised.

Walker had one previous conviction from many years ago for a dissimilar matter, and Judge Simon Berkson said he was effectively a man of previous good character.

Defending, Peter Barnett said it had been over two years since the offending period and Walker had not committed any further offences.

He had struggled with his mental health as a result of the ongoing proceedings and could not explain why he had done what he had done.

He was in full-time employment, working long hours.

Judge Berkson said the pre-sentence report had shown a realistic prospect of rehabilitation and that Walker was remorseful, so the sentence could be suspended.

He told Walker that the contents of the chat logs were not as sexualised as heard in other court cases, nevertheless "it's something that disturbs this court as it is wrong behaviour."

Walker was handed an eight-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, and must complete 35 days of a rehabilitation activity requirement.

He was placed on the sex offenders register for 10 years and made the subject of a 10-year Sexual Harm Prevention Order restricting his internet usage unless monitored by police.

He must also pay £150 prosecution costs and a surcharge.

His computer, which had been seized by police two years ago, was to be deprived permanently.