PCSO jailed for sex texts to girl

A police community support officer (PCSO) who groomed a 15-year-old girl in an attempt to have sex with her has been jailed for 15 months.

Kevin Smith, 25, of Delamere Avenue, Eastham, Wirral, who worked for Merseyside Police at the time, sent 70 texts to his victim.

Liverpool Crown Court heard Smith, who admitted grooming, was caught when he attended a job at her family home.

The judge said he had used his position to try to coerce her to have sex.

Smith had pleaded guilty to meeting a child following sexual grooming at a previous hearing.

He met the girl in Leasowe, Wirral, on 14 May last year while on uniformed patrol.

Lewd texts exposed

The court heard that he began to barrage her mobile phone with text messages asking to meet her and take her for a drive.

She reminded him about his job and her age and, after a further text at the following day when she again refused to meet him, he stopped contacting her.

But 10 days later on 25 May he got in touch vie text once more. These messages became more sexual in tone and content.

He was eventually caught out a few days later when, along with another police officer, he was sent to her house to advise her about the dangers of running away.

Her father had contacted the police asking them to talk to her after she had gone missing for a short time.

She was horrified to find him sitting in her lounge, and Smith's lewd texts were exposed when her father started to question her after he had left.

He at first denied his actions but pleaded guilty when detectives traced his text messages.

Smith was also ordered to sign the sex offenders register for 10 years.