Paedophile made girl advertise herself for sex

A "devious and manipulative" paedophile who told a 12-year-old girl to advertise herself for sex to others, even giving her a recommended price list, has been jailed for nine years.

Stephen McLean, 25, met the vulnerable girl online and told her to charge other paedophiles for indecent images and sexual encounters with her, with the money to go to him, Newcastle Crown Court heard.

As well as trying to arrange to meet the girl for sex, he was also caught by a police decoy account purporting to be a 13-year-old girl.

He admitted more than 20 offences including sexual exploitation of a child and encouraging a child to engage in sexual activity.

McLean, from Sunderland, met the North Tyneside-based girl, who had multiple learning difficulties, online and messaged her for almost a year, prosecutor Ian Windridge said.

As well as demanding she send him pictures of herself performing sex acts and suggesting she abuse other children, he also instructed her to advertise herself online as a 12-year-old girl "offering sexual services for payment", the court heard.

McLean even suggested a price list ranging from sending pictures of herself of "whatever they want" to "no limit" encounters where paedophiles could "do whatever", the court heard, with money to be paid into his bank account.

He arranged to meet her several times himself but "fortunately" the girl was unable to attend and cancelled on each occasion, Windridge said.

McLean's offending came to light when social services contacted Northumbria Police to express their concern, the court heard.

Separately, the force also got referrals regarding McLean from both the National Crime Agency (NCA) and Avon and Somerset Police, the court heard.

The NCA had tracked him uploading indecent images of children while the Avon and Somerset force caught him with one of their decoy profiles, the court heard.

McLean, who had a username meaning "horny for younger girls", contacted the profile of what he thought was a 13-year-old girl on the Chatib chatroom and quickly began asking for sexual pictures of her, while sending her naked images of himself.

After his arrest, police found he had been sending pictures and videos to other child abusers online and had a collection with a "high" number of indecent images.

Officers only investigated part of his stash, but in that they found about 500 pictures and videos including 224 in the most serious category, with children ranging in age from three to 16 years old, Windridge said.

He also breached an interim sexual risk order imposed after his arrest by not disclosing to police details of devices, online user names and bank accounts he set up, the court heard.

Judge Robert Spragg said what Mclean put the "very vulnerable little girl through" was "horrific" and it was "heartbreaking" to see the effect it had on her mother, who attended court to read out her victim impact statement.

The girl's mother said her daughter was a "lovely, beautiful young girl" but she was "easily led".

McLean was "devious and manipulative" and targeted the girl online where her mother "could not possibly have protected her", the court heard.

Spragg said McLean was a predator who exploited girls for his "own personal gain" with total disregard for their well-being.

McLean will also have to serve an extra five years on extended licence upon his release from prison.

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