Internet sex assault man jailed

A man has been jailed for 18 months for sexually abusing a 14-year-old Teesside girl he met on the Internet.

Timothy Stewart, 27, of Upper Town Road, Glencoe, Northern Ireland, was an architect in London when he made contact with the girl in July 2002.

Police arrested Stewart after the girl was reported missing by her family.

He pleaded guilty to two charges of indecent assault, one of gross indecency, and making an indecent photograph of a child in August 2002.

Stewart was also ordered to register as a sex offender for 10 years.

Teesside Crown Court heard Stewart and the girl had swapped details, including ages and mobile phone numbers, and Stewart had driven from London to Teesside for dates with the girl.

On their third date, he booked into a seaside hotel in the area and took her shopping for lacy underwear and condoms before returning to spend the night together.

Child porn

However, the girl's parents had reported her missing to police who began looking for her.

Officers found her naked in bed in the hotel with Stewart pulling on his clothes.

Stewart had earlier told the girl that if he was caught by police it would be child molesting, but it would be alright if nobody knew, the court heard.

Anne Richardson, defending, said that Stewart was missing his family back in Northern Ireland when he went into the chat room.

Police officers also found internet child porn on Stewart's computer at his fiancée's home in Chester.

Judge Leslie Spittle, jailing Stewart for 18 months, said: "In my view this was progressive behaviour no doubt leading to more serious sexual contact.

"There must be an element of deterrent here for those who indulge in using chat rooms to make contact with young girls."