Paedophile from Morley sent genital pics to undercover officer whom he thought was a 12-year-old girl

Pervert Steven Calder, 35, was caught after he latched onto an online profile on chat room app, Chat Avenue, in July of 2021. It purported to belong to a young girl named Tilly, but it was in fact set up as decoy profile and run by an undercover police officer.

Calder initially said he was 19-year-old and quickly began making sexual comments towards her and talking about masturbation. He then sent her various pictures and videos of his genitals and then asked for shots of her in her underwear.

Moving the conversation to Snapchat, Calder then asked her to send a video of herself performing a sex act, prosecutor Kristina Goodwin told Leeds Crown Court.

The police were able to trace his internet IP address and went to his home to arrest him on August 24, 2021. They seized his mobile phone and also his laptop.

Calder, of Ibbetson Oval, Churwell, near Morley admitted attempting sexual communication with a child and attempting to cause a child to watch a sexual act. He has no previous conviction.

His barrister told the court that Calder made no attempt to meet the “girl” and had “taken exceptional actions” since his arrest.

Mr Yates said: “So many say they are going to make changes when they come before these courts and don’t, Mr Calder is not that individual. He has made meaningful and significant changes to address his lifestyle and underlying causes of his behaviour. He has taken comprehensive steps.”

Judge Simon Batiste said he accepted Calder had taken all the necessary steps and said he would taken an “exceptional course of action” and not send him to jail. He agreed there was a realistic prospect of rehabilitation and that probation could work with him.

He gave him a two-year jail sentence, suspended for two years, 30 rehabilitation days and 200 hours of unpaid work. He was put on the sex offenders registers for 10 years and given a 10-year sexual harm prevention order (SHPO) to limit his internet use.