A man has admitted communicating sexually with a 14-year-old girl, having previously pleaded guilty to charges of possession and distribution of indecent images of children.

Mark Fallon will be sentenced at Durham Crown Court next month following preparation of a report by the Probation Service to assess the risk he is considered to pose to children.

The 36-year-old defendant appeared at the court yesterday (Monday, March 18) having already admitted making and distributing indecent images of a child at a previous hearing before magistrates.

Those charges, relating to 26 images, were said to have been committed between June 2020 and April 2022.

The Northern Echo: Man to be sentenced at Durham Crown Court for sexual communication with a child

He also admitted one count of possessing extreme pornography, relating to a single image of an act of bestiality.

But at his first appearance at the crown court, yesterday, a further charge of sexual communication with a child, a girl aged 14, was put to Fallon, who also pleaded guilty to that offence.

It involved him, being a person aged 18 or over, intentionally communicated with a girl, not reasonably believing her to be aged 16 or over, in a sexual manner, by sending sexual messages and images, between November 29 and December 5, 2021.

The Northern Echo:

Calum McNicholas, for the defendant, who has no previous convictions, said the Probation Service would be aware of the defendant’s pleas made at the previous hearing before magistrates.

Judge Jo Kidd said in her view the court would be assisted by production of a background report on the defendant by the Probation Service, prior to him being sentenced.

“The fact I’m seeking a report should not be seen as any indication as to what the sentence will be in this case.

“Where someone is facing charges such as this and with a background of no previous convictions, the sentencing court will be interested in the motivation and future risk of offending of Mr Fallon.”

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She told the defendant, of Dunelm Court, Brandon: “You have now pleaded guilty to very serious matters which give rise to very real concerns about your risk to children in future.

“You have been granted bail and you will need to re-attend on April 19 when the sentencing will take place.”

As a result of his guilty pleas Fallon is now subject to registration as a sex offender, the length of which will be determined at the sentencing hearing.