A ‘bored and horny’ pervert who sent a picture of his genitals to an undercover cop posing as a 12-year-old girl landed himself in court.

Jordan Reidy used Snapchat to connect with Layla before sending the ‘schoolgirl’ a series of sexual messages despite being warned she was a child.

The 34-year-old’s messages became increasingly sexualised before he was arrested and charged with a child sex offence after he the told girl he was 'bored and horny'.

Teesside Crown Court heard how he used the handle JReidy90 to contact the girl and specialist officers were able to trace his mobile phone and email address to identify him.

Tabitha Buck, prosecuting, said: “He said he was 17 but of course he was not, he is 34 years of age, and it is responded to him that the undercover officer is pretending to be 12.

“In November the conversation continues, they ask how each other are and the defendant replies ‘bored and horny’.

“Layla explained that she was in a music lesson and would be going on lunch.”

Numerous other messages were sent to the undercover officer and they become more persistent and become increasingly sexualised, Miss Buck said.

“He sends a picture message of him in bed with his leg sticking out, the image is captioned ‘Do you want to come and join me here?’. Layla asked him what they would do in bed and he responded - ‘whatever you would like to do’.”

The defendant then sent him a picture of his genitals asking - ‘What do you think?’ and asking how short her school skirt is.

Reidy, of Cawood Drive, Middlesbrough, pleaded guilty to attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child between September 25 and November 24 last year.

Calum McNicholas, mitigating, said: “He accepts full responsibility, there was no prevarication or minimalisation.

“He said to me that he is disgusted with himself and that his behaviour could have severely impacted a child if in fact it was not a police officer.”

Judge Jonathan Carroll sentenced Reidy to six months in custody suspended for 18 months.

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He said: “It is interesting that in each of the responses, she identifies herself as being at school, of school age or in school lessons – that didn’t put you off at all.

“You wanted to know about her uniform, what kind of clothes she was wearing and your conversation became overtly sexualised, including you sending naked pictures of yourself.”

Reidy was made subject to a seven-year sexual harm prevention order and told to sign on the sex offenders’ register for the same period of time.

He was also ordered to carry out 180 hours of community service and attend 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days to address his offending.