A 'SIMPLE' man attempted to have sex chats with underage girls on Facebook, sending naked pictures and asking one to send him photos of her breasts.

Martin Smith, called 'simple' by his own solicitor, admitted two counts of attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child and a single count of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity when he appeared at Worcester Crown Court on Friday.

The 53-year-old of Station Road, Bretforton near Evesham was in reality chatting to decoys from two different groups set up to protect children from online grooming and sexual behaviour.

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Smith pleaded guilty and was convicted of the offences on November 18 last year.

Tom Kenning, prosecuting, said the two groups set up three 'fictitious' Facebook profiles of girls purporting to be aged between 13 and 15 and that Smith 'corresponded with each of them' in January 2020.

The first stated she was 13. "The defendant was using sexual language with her. Your Honour knows he asked her for naked photographs and sent her naked photographs. He asked her several times to show him breasts. That's an attempt to incite her to engage in sexual activity. He asked her to be his girlfriend," the prosecutor said.

He told another of the decoys his real age and where he lived. Smith was arrested.

"In interview he disputed at that stage that he knew or believed they were underage" said Mr Kenning.

Smith had no previous convictions.

Mark Sheward, defending, argued successfully that the sentence should be suspended.

He said: "It's quite clear from speaking to Mr Smith he's a very simple man."

The city solicitor said Smith had been statemented at school, left without any qualifications and had lived with his parents all his life.

"He did have a girlfriend in the 1990s. She unfortunately, tragically, was killed in a car accident. Since then he has found it hard to form any sort of relationship" said Mr Sheward.

The solicitor said when Smith tried to seek friendships with other adults he discovered they 'didn't want to speak to him anymore'.

"He's a man who has brought shame on his family and he's very upset about that. He's ashamed for the pain he has caused his family. He does understand that it was wrong" said Mr Sheward.

Judge Jim Tindal referred to Smith as 'one of those depressingly many men who find themselves on the internet communicating with, you certainly thought, children and the terms of these conversations were sexually explicit. This was, at least in your head, sexual."

However, he said Smith's mental health difficulties and limited understanding was 'directly relevant to the question of intent'.

"You are, not only in the words of Mr Sheward but also in the words of an experienced probation officer, a simple man" he said.

Arguing that there was a realistic prospect of rehabilitation, he sentenced Smith to two years in prison suspended for two years.

Smith must complete an accredited sex offender's programme and 25 rehabilitation activity requirement days. He must sign the sex offender register for 10 years. A sexual harm prevention order was also made, restricting and monitoring Smith's use of the internet and contact with children.