A Swindon man has admitted two child sex offences following a police sting.
Double glazing fitter Jack Ball, 25, appeared before Swindon Magistrates’ Court this morning charged with arranging or facilitating the commission of a child sex offence and engaging in sexual communications with a child.
The offences are said to have taken last week, between 7 and 10 April.
It was the Crown’s case that Ball, of Kirkstall Close, Toothill, engaged in sexual communication with a member of undercover police staff posing as a 13-year-old girl online, before travelling to meet her.
In the dock appearing before District Judge Joanna Dickens, after being remanded in custody over the weekend, he pleaded guilty to both offences.
Defending, Tony Nowogrodzki said: “He wants an opportunity to show everyone this is not him, this is not how he behaves. He was full of remorse.”
Judge Dickens pondered whether or not Ball would have access to children whilst working on houses as double glazing fitter, but Mr Nowogrodzki said his client would give up his job if it meant he could be released on bail, rather than being remanded in custody.
The defendant was released on conditional bail to attend Swindon Crown Court for sentencing in May, with conditions not to be unsupervised with anyone under the age of 18 and not to use the internet.
Ball must register as a sex offender immediately. The term of the registration will be determined during sentencing.
“It is very likely you’ll go to prison, you cannot hide from that”, Judge Dickens said.
