Man pretended to be a woman and sent indecent images to 'girl'

However, Ronald Howard was actually communicating with an under-cover police officer which led to his arrest and he has been jailed at Liverpool Crown Court.

The judge, Recorder Eric Lamb, pointed out that six months earlier Howard had been jailed for three months for child abduction which he described as a “highly relevant” previous conviction.

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Frank Dillon, prosecuting, told the court that the under-cover officer set up a fake profile of ‘Milly’ a 13-year-old girl on the Rando Chat app and on November 30 last year Howard contacted her.

He pretended to be a 19-year-old woman and the conversation became sexualised and he sent an image of a woman exposing her breasts.

The conversation moved to Snapchat and Howard sent a picture to her which he claimed was of ‘her boyfriend’s” penis. He also encouraged her to send him photographs of herself.

Police were able to identify Howard through his phone number which was known by the probation service, said Mr Dillon.

He was arrested on December 22 and made no comment to most of the questions when interviewed. He said that was not because he had been doing anything wrong but because “he was prone to bouts of heavy drinking which affect his memory and he could not remember what was being alleged.”

Howard was sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court (Image: Stock)

Howard, of Grange Park Road, Thatto Heath, pleaded guilty to attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child.

David Woods, defending, said that a pre-sentence report showed he has problems with his thinking and behaviour which need exploring.   

He does not like to talk about his childhood and when asked he almost broke down in tears and said “his father was not a nice man.”

Howard “had sought solace in drink and drugs for a number of years which of course had not assisted him.”

Ronald Howard (Image: Merseyside Police)

Mr Woods said that the defendant was receiving support from a friend and had taken steps to address his substance misuse.

Howard, 26, was jailed for 15 months and ordered to sign on the Sex Offenders Register for 10 years. A Sexual Harm Prevention Order was imposed for the same length of time.