Cambridge man used Facebook Messenger to send sexually explicit messages to girl, 13

A Cambridge man who sent sexually explicit messages to a 13-year-old girl via Facebook Messenger has been given a community order.

Aaron Atkin, of Discovery Way, asked the girl about her sexual experience, encouraged her to send sexual images and suggested meeting him.

The messages, sent between June and August 2017, were reported to police, who arrested Atkin at his home, where he claimed to police he had not sent “anything sexual” to the teenager.

During a police interview, however, he admitted sending sexually explicit questions to the girl, claiming he “just wanted to know”.

After admitting before magistrates that he had engaged in sexual communication with a child, he was sentenced at Cambridge Crown Court last Thursday and handed a two-year community order.

Atkin was ordered to complete a 60-day rehabilitation activity requirement and 60 hours of unpaid work. He was also handed a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO) for a period of five years.

Det Con Martin Hardy, who investigated the case, said: “Atkin sent these extremely sexualised messages to a young girl in her early teens.

“The fact that some of the messages referenced meeting the girl in person is particularly sinister.

“Protecting the county’s children is one of our priorities and we will continue to work hard every day to keep young people safe.”

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