A pervert ex-teacher has avoided a jail term over a sex chat with a ’12-year-old girl’.
Sick dad Robert Escott started talking to the purported child on Snapchat – but she was actually an undercover police officer who was waiting to be approached by online predators.
The 34-year-old was told up front that the profile belonged to a girl, aged 12, and he proceeded to ask her for photos and enquired about her school.
Salisbury Crown Court heard today (Friday) that the defendant turned the conversation sexual – asking about her underwear and whether she wears thongs.
Barrister John Connor, prosecuting, said that the police officer told Escott the child was not wearing a thong but instead a pair of pink knickers. In response, he asked the girl to prove it.
Over two days, he asked the child for photographs of herself in a bra, underwear or the nude. He also told her that he thinks she’d look good in a bikini, and sent her a photo of an erect penis he falsely claimed was his own.
Police attended his former home in Little Down, Chippenham, seizing his mobile phone for examination. On arrest, he made full admissions to his offending when questioned in custody.
Escott, who pleaded guilty to attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child earlier this year, is a qualified school teacher – and previously worked at Staverton Primary School, Lyneham Primary School and for the White Horse Federation.
It was heard that the defendant, of Churchill Avenue, Melksham, started a new job yesterday (Thursday, 24 October). However, the nature of the role was not disclosed in open court.
Barrister John Simmons, defending, said that his client accepts his offending was “serious”, adding that he had a “difficult background” which left him with mental health problems.
The court was told that Escott had attempted to take his own life and has a lack of confidence in relationships – leading to a “scattergun approach” on social media platforms to find someone to talk to.
Mr Simmons said the “communication is rather inept and naive in many ways, but nonetheless criminal”.
He added that his ex-wife has moved away to Devon with their two young children, but “not to get away from him” – adding that he gets on with her “tremendously” and sees his children regularly.
Sentencing Escott, Judge Adam Feest KC said the case crosses the custody threshold and a sentence of nine months imprisonment would have been imposed following a conviction a trial.
After taking into account his mitigation – including his guilty plea, remorse and efforts to address his mental health issues – he imposed a two-year community order.
Judge Feest told Escott he should be “congratulated” and “encouraged” on the steps he has taken to deal with his problems, adding: “… but that is not an excuse for what you did.”
As part of his sentence, the defendant will have to undertake 100 hours of unpaid work, a 43-session sex offenders programme, 12 sessions of mental health treatment and 20 rehabilitation activity days.
“If you breach this community order, you’re going to meet me again”, the Judge said as he threatened to send him to prison for six months if he failed to comply.
Escott was ordered to register as a sex offender for five years. A sexual harm prevention order – which puts prohibitions on his interactions with children and internet use – was also imposed for the same length of time.
