A paedophile digger thief sent a picture of his naked bum to a 13-year-old girl.
Matthew Tipping, from Ellesmere Port, sent a string of lewd messages to the teenager over the course of nearly two months. But, unbeknown to him, he was actually being ensnared in a paedophile hunter sting.
Liverpool Crown Court heard yesterday that the 36-year-old sent a friend request to the decoy account on Facebook on December 8 last year. Tipping messaged the profile and was immediately informed of her supposed age, initially apologising and stating he "didn't realise".
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But he "persisted with the conversation", despite also being told she was autistic and a carer for her nine-year-old sister. The pervert "told her she was pretty" and said he "bet she had lots of males chatting her up".
When the teen told Tipping she had a cold he instructed her to "rub Vicks into her chest", which he asked for a picture of. He then suggested that they should have a video call together.
Tipping, of Harrisons Terrace in Little Sutton, stated that he "wished she was older" and "asked if it was bad". He then sent a photograph of himself lying in bed without a top on and told her he "wished he had her as his girlfriend".
The dad asked her if she "would be ok with an older guy" and said they "wouldn't be able to take it public", but she could "have him all to herself". The chats continued on WhatsApp, where Tipping asked for a picture of the girl in the bath and in her underwear.
When she refused, he told her "you don't have to be shy with me" and said "girls younger than you have sex" - adding that she "should trust him". He also stated that the "age thing didn't matter as long as they trusted each other".
Tipping then sent a photo of himself in his underwear and another "looking down his back" with his bare bottom exposed. He made requests for pictures of the girl in her underwear and "of her body".
After being denied, he sent a message on January 9 saying he "expects more in a relationship". The conversations continued until January 27, and the messages were passed over to the police in mid-February.
Under interview, Tipping stated that "it was embarrassing" and claimed he knew that he had been talking with a decoy. His defence counsel told the court that he had been "very down and depressed" following his release from prison on licence, leading to him engaging in the sickening chats.
He had previously been jailed for a year in July 2021 after what was described as a "brazen, professional, broad daylight theft" of two diggers worth £42,000. The Volvo 360 excavator and Takeuchi microdigger were taken from Kinmel Bay and Rhyl in North Wales respectively.
Tipping, then of Connah's Quay in Flintshire, was imprisoned alongside 27-year-old John Lee, of Suez Street in Newton-le-Willows. The latter defendant was handed a four-month stretch, to be activated in the event that a two-month curfew was breached.
While Tipping has no previous sexual matters on his record, he has 20 convictions for 39 offences - the majority being for theft, driving matters and failing to comply with court orders. It was heard on Thursday afternoon that he "effectively realised he had to stop and that he was doing wrong".
The "remorseful" sex offender admitted attempting sexual communications with a child during an earlier hearing. He was handed a 12-month imprisonment suspended for two years.
Sentencing, Judge Denis Watson QC said: "You are to be sentenced for your communications with someone who you thought to be a 13-year-old girl. In fact that was an adult, but you didn't know that.
"All your messages were, in your mind, intended to be received and acted on by a 13-year-old. The evidence makes plain you were in regular, persistent contact with an individual you believed was 13.
"The context was you pursuing your sexual interest in her. Effectively, you were flattering her and trying to normalise sexual conduct for those of her age.
"The reality is you would serve about six months, but you would not have any positive opportunity to deal with whatever was going on in your head. My concern is that this interest is rather more deep rooted than you would have me accept.
"You would like me to believe it was a bit of a blip when you were released from custody. You were feeling a bit low and down, and this is something that can just be moved past.
"I'm not at all sure it is. I've decided you are someone with a reasonable prospect of rehabilitation."
Tipping told the judge he would "do anything" to avoid prison when asked if he would comply with any community order imposed. Judge Watson replied that he had come "perilously close", adding: "This is your one chance."
He was also handed a 20-day rehabilitation activity requirement, a 10-year sexual harm prevention order and a notification requirement lasting the same period. Tipping was told to pay a victim surcharge.
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