Preston pervert sent lewd video and pictures to a police officer believing she was a 13-year-old child

Malik Khan believed he was sharing lewd pictures, videos and chat with a school girl on the notorious Kik messenger app - but he was being stung by an undercover police officer.

Khan, 30, of New Hall Lane, Preston, was arrested in front of his mother and sister, Preston Crown Court was told, after his behaviour in October 2018.

He pleaded guilty to attempting to cause a child aged 13 to look at an image of a person engaging in sexual activity, and attempted sexual communication with a child.

Prosecuting, Adam Lodge said: "On October 2, 2018, the officer made a false profile on Kik messenger - the advantage of that app is the ability of the user to maintain anonymity as only an email address is required to establish an account.

"The account created was in the name of 'Sophie W, London'. 'Sophie' purported to be a 13-year-old female.

"The officer then joined a number of groups on the app. The purpose of joining this app and those groups was to gather intelligence relating to the potential sexual abuse of children.

"On October 6, just four days after the creation of that profile, the officer received a direct message. The first message simply read: "Hey.""

Khan, who was found to have used the app for 315 days, gave himself the name 'Chilling Flex' and had a Range Rover as his profile picture.

On October 8 the officer replied with: "Hey."

She then received a lewd and graphic message.

Khan continued to correspond despite the 'girl' informing him of her age.

Mr Lodge said: "When asked if the defendant minded Sophie was just 13 he replied: 'I know you're young. I don't mind. Why should I mind?' and said girls of his own age were in his words 's**gs'."

Khan sent sexualised messages, pictures of his face and private parts and a video of himself performing a sexual act, and asked for intimate photographs of her.

At one stage there were then discussions of him travelling to London to meet her, and he told her what acts he wanted to do with her.

They went on to exchange numbers and correspond on Whats App.

The court heard on November 16, 2018, police attended his address. He was present with his mother and sister and was arrested.

The Honorary Recorder of Preston, Judge Robert Altham told him he had "no business communicating with a child" and ordered him to sign the Sex Offender's Register.

Imposing a 10 year sexual harm prevention order to protect the public, a four month curfew, and rehabilitation requirement to address his 'attitudes', he added: "You fairly swiftly involved yourself in conversation with Sophie believing she was a 13-year-old child.

"You of course were much older than her."

The Lancashire Post is more reliant than ever on you taking out a digital subscription to support our journalism. For unlimited access to Lancashire news and information online, you can subscribe here